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Touch 'em all: The 2018 MLB postseason primer
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Touch 'em all: The 2018 MLB postseason primer

After a regular season that was a tale of two very different stories between the National League and American League, respectively, the pursuit of the pennant officially kicks off now.

The American League is one that has been defined by elites more in 2018 than in any other year in history, and it will be a big swinging battle of the heavyweights. Meanwhile, the National League stands to be defined more by the inches than the miles, as sorting out the Senior Circuit’s top seed required all 162 games, plus a couple of extra ones.

While all the story lines of the first six months of the season could easily go out of the window in October, there are still plenty of factors to recognize that could define who walks away with the Commissioner’s Trophy in a month. With that in mind, here is a look at what could make — or quickly break — each team in the MLB postseason picture.


Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Braves

How they got here: By riding an 18-game turnaround from a year ago, fueled by a handful of young stars having breakout seasons together. 

What must go right? The Braves are a team of extremes. Their wins come in bunches (seven win streaks of four or more games), as do their losses (five such losing streaks). They are also at their best when striking early on, when they can control the pace. 

Achilles' heel:  Lack of postseason experience could become an issue. Atlanta’s starting lineup has a combined five postseason series experience, all among Freddie Freeman, Kurt Suzuki and Nick Markakis. Anibal Sanchez’s 38.2 postseason innings represent the most non-regular season experience of any member of the roster. 

X-factor Mike Foltynewicz: The 26-year-old righty emerged as the leader of the Atlanta staff, holding opponents to a .195 average and striking out 202. Foltynewicz carrying this form over into the fall could go a long way in having a legitimate No. 1 arm to deploy. 

Telling Stat – 19: the number of home runs Ronald Acuna Jr hit at the top of the order, seven of which came as leadoff homers. Acuna’s ability to set the tone early is a vital weapon for the Braves' ability to put (and keep) the foot on the gas early.

Boston Red Sox

How they got here: Via a franchise-record 108 wins, making Alex Cora the most successful rookie manager of all time. Boston has been in first place since June 27, despite being chased by another 100-win team in the Yankees. 

What must go right? A relentless, gauntlet of a lineup must continue to hit on all cylinders. The addition of J.D. Martinez assured the Sox would have a hammer capable of keeping pace with the type of barrage the Astros buried them with a year ago. 

Achilles' heel: The bullpen bridge to Craig Kimbrel is one paved with potentially loose bricks. Steven Wright and Matt Barnes have been good of late, but it is far from the most risk-adverse group. 

X-factor J.D. Martinez. While the overall excellence of Mookie Betts may see him take MVP honors, the biggest night and day difference in the 2017 and 2018 Red Sox is Martinez. A year ago when Hanley Ramirez was the team's primary DH, he produced a .242/.320/.429 split, with 23 home runs and 63 RBI. Martinez’ .329/.401/.624 line alongside his 42 home runs and 127 RBI lap that offering. 

Telling Stat 594: the Red Sox MLB-best extra-base hits count. It is an offensive diversity that should allow them to keep up with any team’s best shot.


Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Cubs

How they got here: Via a winner-takes-all tiebreaker with the Milwaukee Brewers, a position the Cubs salvaged to participate in after leading the NL Central since July 11. 

What must go right? Starting pitching must shine. The core bats must produce. The ups and downs off the mound have handicapped the Cubs all year. While they have scored 10 or more runs 16 different times, they also have been shut out 11 times — with another 26 times posting a single run. 

Achilles' heel: The bullpen is still up in the air. With closer Brandon Morrow out for the year, leaning on Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards Jr. and Pedro Strop has gone well so far, but it is far from the most imposing pen in the NL field. 

X-factor Daniel Murphy. Maybe the most impactful move of the entire trade season was Murphy joining the Cubs lineup. He has hit .291 with six home runs since switching cities, but the best could still be ahead. Murphy owns a 1.020 postseason OPS lifetime over 24 games. 

Telling Stat 37: the number of postseason starts for Jon Lester and Cole Hamels combined. By far, this is the most experienced postseason duo in any rotation.


Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Indians

How they got here: A third-consecutive AL Central title that came via the game’s, by far, least exciting pennant race. The Tribe finished 13 games ahead of the Twins in baseball’s most lopsided division. 

What must go right? Corey Kluber and Co. must be dominant. In their past two postseason runs, the Indians rotation has let down some in October but was able to rely on a dominant bullpen to pick up the pieces. That is no longer the case, so an Indians rotation that is the first in MLB history to count four 200-strikeout arms among its ranks will need to carry more weight than ever. 

Achilles' heel: The dangers of handing the game to the bullpen. After years of being Terry Francona’s most dependable weapon, the Indians bullpen has done a complete heel turn. The Tribe’s 4.60 bullpen ERA and .260 average against both are in the bottom third of the American League. 

X-factor Edwin Encarnacion: A turning point for the Tribe in their ALDS loss against the Yankees last year was losing Encarnacion to an ankle injury in Game 2. Having the game-changing threat of his power healthy and available transforms the Cleveland attack. 

Telling stat 64: the number of total bases Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor combined for. They are the only AL teammates to both top 30 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 35 doubles.


Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado Rockies

How they got here: A furious sprint to the finish saw the Rockies resurrect their season with an eight-game winning streak that saw them go from 2.5 games back on Sept. 19 to competing for an NL West title by the final day of the season. 

What must go right? The bats must stay hot. During their recent comeuppance, the Rockies have raked in 7.1 runs per game, which included three games of over 10 runs or more. Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story have been the NL’s most dominant duo, both having 35 homers, over 100 RBI, 170 hits and 320 total bases. However, David Dahl, Carlos Gonzalez and Ian Desmond have been burying foes with equal intensity over the last month. 

Achilles' heel: Can they stand the rain on the road? As always, the splits for the Rockies away from Coors Field are cringe-worthy: Their .226 team batting average on the road is the worst in the National League. 

X-factor Kyle Freeland: The breakout star on the mound of the season in the NL is Freeland, who has solved the puzzle of pitching in the Mile High city. He is 10-2 with a 2.40 ERA at home while allowing only 11 home runs over 93.2 home innings. 

Telling stat 17-22, the Rockies record against NL playoff teams. It is the fewest wins against postseason peers of any qualifying team.


Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros

How they got here: By becoming the fifth team in the last 50 years to follow up a World Series title with a 100-win season. 

What must go right? They need to continue to ride the wave. No team in baseball plays better together than the Astros do. Their chemistry is their greatest strength, and when they are truly in sync and playing off each other, they are nearly impossible to keep up with. They are 37-8 in blowouts (up by five or more runs) on the year, so they know how to keep a team down and protect a lead. 

Achilles' heel: They have not thrived in close situations on the year, going 24-24 in one-run games. This was partially due to early-season bullpen problems, but it is the second-worst among all postseason teams. 

X-factor – Roberto Osuna: The addition of the troubled closer did not come without a substantial amount of criticism, but he has responded by quickly addressing the issue he was brought on to fix. Osuna is 12-for-12 in save situations as an Astro, with 32 strikeouts against only four walks in 38 innings. 

Telling stat – 18: the number of carryover members of last year’s postseason roster to this season’s. At a time when cohesion and shared experience matters most, the Astros are bringing back the most players who have traveled the road together of any other team.


Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers

How they got here: By the skin of their teeth. After losing their hold on the NL West lead, the Dodgers barely held on to a postseason position at all by pulling off a couple of tight wins against the Giants over the weekend. 

What must go right? playing up to their (considerable) potential. The star power on the Dodgers is evident in both the lineup and throughout the pitching staff. But they have not been able to maintain at that level of expectation day in and day out. 

Achilles' heel: Is Kenley Jansen 100 percent ready? A string of heart issues has compromised his availability throughout the second half, a recurrence of which could drastically change the approach Dave Roberts can take with his bullpen structure. 

X-Factor – Walker Buehler: The emergence of Buehler has been a godsend, as the club has weathered its annual wave of injuries throughout its starting staff. Buehler has been the club’s best pitcher down the stretch, and how he stands up to what projects as the longest workload of his career will be a big part of how far the Dodgers go. 

Telling stat .830, Manny Machado’s OPS since joining the Dodgers, down 100 points from his AL OPS. He has not been the absolute next level upgrade he was anticipated as being, but there is still time to amend that.


Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Brewers

How they got here: By saving their best for last. The Brewers have owned September, going 17-6 on the month and locking up a postseason spot after sweeping the Cardinals last Wednesday. 

What must go right? The offense must continue to be the driving force. Christian Yelich has played better than anybody on earth over the last month and could single-handedly provide a few wins. Otherwise, the Brewers are the NL’s equivalent of an American League club, with three hitters with 30 or more homers (Yelich, Travis Shaw and Mike Moustakas). 

Achilles' heel: Can they make the critical play when needed? For all their offensive tools, the club is equally defensively challenged. To go all in on bats, they sacrificed defensive ability in the process. Travis Shaw is out of position at second base far too often, and Ryan Braun is a designated hitter in a league without the position. 

X-factor – Josh Hader: The ultra-talented lefty is custom-built to be a postseason weapon. Capable of working multiple innings and equally impactful against hitters on either side of the plate, Hader is an instant offense killer who will loom over any situation with potential upside for the opposition. 

Telling stat 121: the number of stolen bases on the year. It was the top total in the NL this year and 20 more than any other NL postseason team. It is indicative that Craig Counsell’s club does more than just sit around and wait for the big hit.


Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees

How they got here: With baseball’s best non-division title record. Their 100th victory ensured for the first time that a league would have three 100-win teams in the same year. 

What must go right? While Aaron Boone’s lineup has frequently left the yard all year, it has also often not been together at full strength as well. With Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez healthy again, Andrew McCutchen on board and Didi Gregorius narrowly avoiding a wrist injury that could have kept him off the NLDS roster, they have a chance to unleash their full potential together, finally. 

Achilles' heel: Yankee starting pitching must hold up its end of the deal. While no team can change the number on the board quicker and from more spots on the lineup card than the Yanks, it could all be undone if Yankee starters can’t at the very least keep things honest. 

X-Factor – the bullpen gang: The Yankees' pen resembles a fantasy league roster of closer types. Aroldis Chapman, Zach Britton, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Chad Green combined for 426 Ks over 234.1 innings — a disgusting 12.45 strikeouts per nine innings. 

Telling Stat 267: the record number of home runs the Yankees combined for on the year. Postseason success is often tied to being able to master the moment, and no team can either bury or make up for lost ground quicker than they can. The Yanks hit at least 20 home runs from every place on the lineup card except for the ninth spot, where they finished with 19.


Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Athletics 

How they got here: Via a flare for the dramatic. The A’s came out of nowhere to stun the American League, roaring out to a 97-win season. Since June 1, the A’s have posted a 68-36 record. 

What must go right? The knack for rising to the occasion must stay intact. The challenge of going into Yankee Stadium for the rights to reach the postseason is a daunting — but not an impossible — task for this club. With Khris Davis (an AL-best 48 homers), Stephen Piscotty, Matt Olson and Matt Chapman in the mix, Oakland has a relentless lineup that can stand in and go blow-for-blow with anybody. 

Achilles' heel: Smoke and mirrors from the starting staff. The loss of Sean Manaea for the year to shoulder woes was a massive blow to the A’s, as he would have been the no-doubt play-in/Game 1 starter for Bob Melvin’s club. 

X-factor – Blake Treinen: The Oakland closer may have been the best reliever in all of baseball this year. He has converted 38 saves on the year and allowed only seven earned runs over 80.1 innings. Treinen enters the postseason having allowed only one earned run dating back to Aug. 3. 

Telling stat – 10: the number of walk-off victories on the year. The A’s are a relentless ball club that has gotten where they are by never taking their foot off the gas, as highlighted by their 42 comeback wins. Their 31-14 record in one-run games was second-best in all of baseball.

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