MLB Playoff Predictions: 1 Player Who Will Determine Outcome for Each Team
Normally, one player stands out as the undisputed key to a team's championship run.
Last year, Madison Bumgarner stepped up and helped lead the San Francisco Giants to a third World Series title in five years.
Before that, David Ortiz launched a monster shot off Joaquin Benoit to help the Boston Red Sox gain momentum, surge past the Detroit Tigers and eventually win a championship.
Can someone put together a similar performance in 2015 and live in postseason lore forever?
Let's take a look at a critical player for each playoff team.
Masahiro Tanaka
1 of 10
The New York Yankees need Masahiro Tanaka to pitch like an ace.
His second season in the majors has been plagued by injury. A strained hamstring has limited him to pitching in just one game since mid-September.
The 26-year-old went 12-7 with a 3.51 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 24 starts this season.
The Yankees starting rotation ranked 19th in the majors with a 4.25 ERA, while their bullpen was 16th with a 3.70 ERA.
For New York to make a run, it needs Tanaka to pitch deep into ballgames and keep zeros on the scoreboard.
Can he stay healthy? Will he keep the baseball in the park?
Tanaka gave up 25 home runs in 154 innings pitched, and the Houston Astros are hitting .324 with seven extra-base hits off Tanaka.
Prediction: The Yankees get bounced by the Astros.
Backup player: Carlos Beltran
Carlos Correa
2 of 10
The Houston Astros have a tremendous pitching staff.
With Dallas Keuchel lined up to face the Yankees, one has to like Houston's chances here. New York's hitters are batting just .206 off the lefty.
Yet Houston's postseason success will hinge on Carlos Correa.
The shortstop has been a sensation this season and could end up winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He's hitting .279 with 22 home runs, 22 doubles, and 68 RBI in 99 games.
Houston needs Correa to continue being a spark plug for this offense moving forward.
Prediction: Correa leads the Astros to the American League Championship Series, where they lose to Toronto.
Backup player: Keuchel
Johnny Cueto
3 of 10
The Kansas City Royals made the move to acquire Johnny Cueto for this very moment.
The team needed an ace to lead its rotation and pitch that big game. Cueto has been underwhelming in a Kansas City uniform, but he's been better recently.
In 13 starts with the Royals, Cueto is 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.451 WHIP compared to 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA and 0.934 WHIP with the Cincinnati Reds.
If he can't get it together, the Royals are in trouble.
Prediction: The Royals' starting pitching serves as the team's Achilles' heel. Kansas City falls to the Astros in the American League Division Series.
Backup player: Edinson Volquez
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David Price
4 of 10
Like Kansas City, the Toronto Blue Jays picked up David Price at the trade deadline for the playoffs.
Price has pitched in big games and is arguably the best pitcher in the American League. The team has a tremendous offense and excellent defense, but pitching wins games in the playoffs.
Price is a workhorse who gives his team an excellent chance at winning a game when he's on the mound.
Prediction: The lefty will continue pitching like one of the best in the game and lead Toronto to the World Series.
Backup player: Josh Donaldson
Cole Hamels
5 of 10
Since acquiring Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies in July, the lefty's numbers have stayed consistent.
Additionally, the Rangers win ballgames when Hamels is pitching. He's 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts with the team.
Texas doesn't have the type of pitching Toronto or Houston does, so it's imperative Hamels pitches well in the postseason if the Rangers hope to make a run.
Prediction: Hamels and the Rangers pitching staff are no match for Toronto's high-powered offense.
Backup player: Prince Fielder
Andrew McCutchen
6 of 10
The Pirates need their star outfielder to break out of his September slumber.
He hit just .237 during the month and recorded just three multihit games during that span.
On the season, he hit .292 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI.
A lot of focus will be on starting pitcher Gerrit Cole going up against Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs, but Pittsburgh needs McCutchen to lead the offense if it hopes to make it past the National League Wild Card Game.
Prediction: The Pirates fall to the Cubs.
Backup player: Cole
Jake Arrieta
7 of 10
Jake Arrieta leads a staff that ranked third in the league with a 3.36 ERA.
The Pirates were fifth with a 3.53 ERA.
It will be imperative for Arrieta to put together a tremendous performance and eat up innings.
For the young Cubs to take the next step, the 29-year-old has to continue pitching like the Cy Young Award candidate he is.
Prediction: The Cubs get past the Pirates but fall to St. Louis in the National League Division Series 3-2.
Backup player: Kris Bryant
Clayton Kershaw
8 of 10
Clayton Kershaw has to prove he can get it done in the playoffs.
Despite a career 2.43 ERA, he hasn't been good in the postseason. In 58 innings, he's posted a 5.12 ERA and hasn't taken the Los Angeles Dodgers past the National League Championship Series.
The Dodgers are paying Kershaw a ton of money, and he has to pitch better in October than he has in his career.
Prediction: Kershaw pitches well, but the Dodgers bow out in the NLCS.
Backup player: Zack Greinke
Yoenis Cespedes
9 of 10
Yoenis Cespedes transformed the New York Mets offense.
His scorching bat led to a career year, and he's turned the Mets into a contender.
New York has to hope Cespedes' hot stretch at the plate wasn't his peak. He's hit just .250 in his last 32 at-bats and has just two extra-base hits during that period.
To beat the Dodgers, the offense has to put up runs against two of the best pitchers in baseball.
Prediction: The Mets get overpowered by Los Angeles' pitching.
Backup player: David Wright
Jason Heyward
10 of 10
The St. Louis Cardinals are a resilient team.
Despite devastating injuries, the club continued to play well and still won 100 games.
Jason Heyward put together an excellent season, hitting .293 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI.
The Cardinals need the 26-year-old to continue playing well if they hope to capture another World Series title.
Prediction: St. Louis makes it to the World Series.
Backup player: Matt Carpenter
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com and Baseball-Reference.com.
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