It's the most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans as the MLB playoffs are about to get underway. All four Wild Card Series begin Tuesday as the sprint toward the World Series commences. Then the big dogs enter during the Division Series on Saturday and the best of the postseason is displayed.
This year's field seems as wide open as any in recent memory. No team won 100 games for the first time in 10 years. Seven teams won at least 90 games but none emerged as the obvious team to beat this October. That makes for intriguing MLB playoffs.
Even with little to separate the 12 teams in the postseason bracket, there are tiers within the playoff teams. A couple of teams have looked like consistent championship contenders, while others have what it takes to get hot for a month and make a surprise run to the Fall Classic.
It's hard to predict the MLB playoffs. Instead, we picked one player from each playoff team that could be a difference-maker. It's an MLB Power Rankings remix, one that October baseball deserves.
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1. Los Angeles Dodgers
X-factor: Jack Flaherty
Much has been said about the Dodgers pitching staff, particularly their depleted starting rotation. Injuries have decimated Los Angeles' pitching depth and forced them to dig into their farm system and make some trades.
The Dodgers acquired Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline and the veteran righty has been effective upon his arrival in Los Angeles. He has six wins and a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts since the trade. He finished the regular season with a 13-7 record, 3.17 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 28 starts. It was Flaherty's best season since 2019.
He had a strong close to the season with a pair of quality starts in his final four outings. He was a lone bright spot for the Dodgers rotation in September, a group that posted the worst starter's ERA in the league during the month. LA's starting pitchers rank 26th in fWAR since the All-Star break.
Jack Flaherty could get the ball in Game 1 for the Dodgers. That is a big ask for a guy who was the No. 2 starter on a losing team just two months ago. Without Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers need to rely on other starters. Flaherty is suddenly an important piece for Los Angeles.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
X-factor: Cristopher Sanchez
The Phillies starting rotation has been phenomenal from start to finish in 2024. Headed by perennial Cy Young Award candidate Zack Wheeler, the Phillies boast a talented crop of arms who tossed the most quality starts in the National League.
Emerging from Philadelphia's rotation this season is Cristopher Sanchez, a 27-year-old lefty who earned his first MLB All-Star nod. Sanchez had a 3.32 ERA in 31 starts and pitched particularly well in September, winning two of his five starts with a 2.43 ERA.
Sanchez will likely be the third starter for the Phillies behind Wheeler and Aaron Nola, though some fans are calling for him to start Game 2 of the NLDS at home given his exceptional numbers in Philly. Despite the pleas of the faithful, the Phils will probably stick with Sanchez as their No. 3 and hope he can give them five strong in his outings.
3. New York Yankees
X-factor: Jazz Chisholm
Some players are built for the moment. Although we haven’t seen him in the postseason much (3 games) it's a safe guess to think Jazz Chisholm will rise to the occasion in the MLB playoffs. He'll get a chance to do so in the heart of the Yankees' lineup.
Chisholm has already lived up to the New York pedigree since becoming a Yankee in July. He has an .825 OPS with the Yankees and hit four home runs in his first three games. He hit nearly .300 in August and although he cooled off in September he collected five hits, three for extra bases, in his last three games.
Most of the attention in the Yankees lineup will fall upon Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Someone else has to emerge as a reliable hitter for New York. Chisholm, perhaps rather unfairly, has the expectation of being a star. The postseason is the perfect place to display that charisma.
4. San Diego Padres
X-factor: Joe Musgrove
Maybe no roster is built to win in October better than the Padres. San Diego is loaded with superstar talent on both sides of the ball and was the hottest team in the league during the final months of the regular season.
The return of Joe Musgrove helped the cause as the 2022 All-Star is tossing the ball well to close the regular season. Musgrove missed over two months with elbow inflammation but pitched to a 2.15 ERA in nine starts following an IL stint.
The Padres should have no problem scoring runs so their pitching staff will be relied on to maintain leads and keep San Diego in games. Musgrove delivered a pair of quality outings and struck out 18 batters in three starts in the 2022 postseason. He's San Diego's best starting option behind Dylan Cease.
5. Houston Astros
X-factor: Yusei Kikuchi
The Astros once again find themselves among the favorites in the American League. Their formula to win in October likely doesn’t change. They'll want to score early and often to limit the tax on their pitching staff.
Houston's arms have been faulty at times and there were questions as to who would start in the playoffs. With Justin Verlander officially out of the picture, the Astros will put their faith in the likes of Framber Valdez and Yusei Kikuchi.
Kikuchi has been one of the premier trade acquisitions this season and gave the Astros rotation a spark from his first start. The veteran has a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts with Houston. He'll likely follow Valdez in the playoff rotation.
6. Cleveland Guardians
X-factor: Andres Gimenez
The Guardians offense hasn’t always been there this season. Cleveland finished ranked 22nd in batting average and 14th in runs, yet the Guards had the second-best record in the American League.
When the offense did click, it was the usual suspects Jose Ramirez, Stephen Kwan and Josh Naylor. Three players can’t carry an offense in the playoffs so the Guardians need more. Andres Gimenez could contribute something to the cause.
The 2022 All-Star saw his number decrease each of the past two seasons. His OPS this season fell below .650 and his second half wasn’t exactly inspiring. Still, Gimenez is an everyday player and has to find a way to get on base or at least put the ball in play.
7. Milwaukee Brewers
X-factor: Garrett Mitchell
Sometimes it takes a little bit to get used to the big leagues. For Garrett Mitchell, his third year with the Brewers led to things finally clicking for the 2020 first-round pick.
Mitchell rejoined the Brewers in July after breaking his finger right before the season. He hit .276 his first month back and posted an OPS above .800 in August and September. He had nine extra-base hits in September, the most he's had in a single month.
The Brewers as a whole have been able to produce runs. It is more of a team effort than one or two players. Garrett Mitchell can find himself in key spots for Milwaukee in the playoffs.
8. Baltimore Orioles
X-factor: Dean Kremer
Pitching was the downfall of the Orioles last October. Baltimore was swept by the Texas Rangers in the ALDS, losing three straight by a combined 21-11. Orioles starters took a beating as the Rangers teed off.
No Oriole starter got through the fifth inning as all three combined for a 14.60 ERA in eight innings. Among those starters was Dean Kremer who was lifted in the second inning of his start in which he allowed six earned runs. It was his first and to date only playoff start.
Despite that, Kremer will be in Baltimore's rotation and faces a stingy Royals lineup. His September should inspire some confidence after he won a pair of starts and had a 2.25 ERA across 24 innings. Kremer is a key arm for the O's.
9. New York Mets
X-factor: Francisco Alvarez
Who would’ve thought the Mets would be here? They are certainly deserving given how they played over the last two months. Now can they sustain it in the playoffs?
Not many catchers can make as big an impact as Francisco Alvarez. Since coming off the injured list in June, Alvarez has produced several clutch moments for the Mets. Walk-off home runs and highlight defensive plays come to mind. His latest entry was an RBI double in Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader against the Braves that sparked a Mets rally.
Francisco Alvarez was a highly-touted prospect and earned his place in the big leagues at 20 years old. It's time for him to shine in the postseason and be a figure for the Mets, a dangerous playoff team in most people's eyes.
10. Detroit Tigers
X-factor: Parker Meadows
Not many people had the Tigers making the playoffs. Even fewer had Parker Meadows playing an impact for Detroit down the stretch. The rookie outfielder has stepped up for the Tigers and secured playing time as the everyday center fielder. Now he has to translate a good regular season to the playoffs.
Meadows had a strong finish to the season posting an .840 OPS in the second half. He hit over .320 in August and had 21 of his 27 extra-base hits in August and September.
The Tigers will have to score runs to keep pace with the Astros if Tarik Skubal and the staff can’t contain Houston's bats. Parker Meadows can set the tone in the leadoff spot or provide a spark if they put him at the bottom of the order.
11. Atlanta Braves
X-factor: Michael Harris
The Braves had players dropping like flies this summer but somehow managed to find their way back to the playoffs. Sifting through all the ailing bodies, Atlanta still has a few postseason mainstays ready to lead the charge for another playoff run.
Michael Harris, who missed time this year with a strained hamstring, is emerging as a catalyst in the Braves' lineup. Without Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley, Atlanta loses some pop in the order. Harris has provided a spark atop the lineup and delivered some unexpected power with eight homers in September.
Harris had a .923 OPS in September and looks poised to be a factor in Atlanta's series against the San Diego Padres. He went hitless last postseason and will enter October with a chip on his shoulder.
12. Kansas City Royals
X-factor: Tommy Pham
The journeyman player is easy to root for and fun to follow. Tommy Pham epitomizes that player and has the personality to back it up. He also has the playoff pedigree to be a potential x-factor for the Royals in a postseason series.
Pham was traded midseason for a third consecutive year. He finds himself in the playoffs for the second straight season and fifth time in 11 MLB seasons. He's coming off a brutal second half but has the mindset to put the past month aside and focus on the playoffs.
Pham is a gritty veteran who has a strong track record in the postseason. He hit over .400 in the 2023 World Series and has a .313 average in 31 MLB playoff games. He's barely been a Royal for one month but will serve as a key player in their postseason story.
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