MLB Playoff Predictions: Keys for Each Team Moving on from the Division Series

Playoff baseball is finally in swing.

Each of the eight teams in the MLB Division Series have earned a spot in the tournament for one reason or another, and now it's time for them to fight forward en route to the World Series.

The following list highlights keys to victory for each team—and an aspect that will potentially hold each of them back. 

As always, feel free to defend your colors in the comments section below. 

Let's do this.

Kansas City Royals: Power Hitting

The Kansas City Royals have had some of the best power hitting in baseball this season, and it's what could lift them past the Houston Astros in the ALDS. 

As the above highlight video shows, the Royals have guys like Mike Moustakas who can belt it out of the park at any time. 

While Moustakas' .284 season batting average is impressive, he's just the beginning of the Royals' powerful lineup. 

Kansas City boasts five players who have hit more than 15 homers this season, all of which are batting over .250 on the season. 

That kind of hitting will need to continue against a good group of Astros pitchers if the Royals are to move on from the ALDS.

What could hold them back: Not getting quality starts from pitchers. 

"Quality starts" is admittedly a tough stat to bank on. But nevertheless, it's important the Royals don't bury themselves early in games—they rank 24th in the league when it comes to getting quality starts from their pitching staff. 

Houston Astros: Keeping the ERA Down

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Against the aforementioned Royals power hitting, it's extremely important for Houston's pitching staff to keep its ERA low.

Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (pictured above) leads the team in wins with 20. His 2.48 ERA on the season is also admirable.

But the Astros only have four pitchers with ERAs of less than 2.50, which could prove costly through a five-game series with Kansas City. 

If Houston can get the type of quality pitching performance it did against the New York Yankees, then the Astros have a legitimate chance to dethrone the defending world champions. 

What could hold them back: Playoff jitters. The Royals have been here before and won it all, and that difference in experience will show itself at least once during this series. 

Chicago Cubs: Winning on the Road

The Chicago Cubs are having a magical season, part of which is due to pitcher Jake Arrieta throwing heat all year long. 

But before you put the Cubs in the championship series, consider that Chicago has not been good on the road against the Cardinals in 2015. 

Entering September, the Cubs were just 1-6 against the Cardinals in Busch Stadium. In June, the Cubs were swept by the Cardinals in a road series where Chicago was outscored 15-4.

Finding a way to win in St. Louis is crucial to the Cubs advancing further into the postseason. 

What could hold them back: Inexperience. This is a hungry Cubs team for sure, but their opponent is a group of seasoned players that have seen the playoffs before. It could be the difference in this series. 

St. Louis Cardinals: Home Field Advantage

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Cubs have struggled in St. Louis this season, and it's key for the Cardinals to keep that momentum going at home during the NLDS. 

Matt Carpenter and the Cardinals have scored 51 runs on the Cubs at home in 2015, and don't let Chicago's 43 runs fool you either—St. Louis has dominated the Cubbies at Busch Stadium this season. 

The Cardinals are a well-rounded group and have a chance, at home, to dispose of the division-rival Cubs in an exciting playoff series. 

What could hold them back: Jake Arrieta. In 2015, the Cubs' Cy Young candidate has held Cardinals hitters to a .209 batting average. 

Texas Rangers: Prince Fielder

Prince Fielder is leading the Texas Rangers in all three major batting statistics this season— the big man has 23 homers, 98 RBI and a season batting average of .305.

He is the Rangers' offensive key to get past the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

Need proof? The video highlight above is all you need to see. At any moment, Fielder can crank a ball more than 400 feet.

What could hold them back: Blowing late-game leads.

At the end of the regular season, Texas had a chance against the Anaheim Angels to clinch a playoff spot and blew a 10-6 lead. It also blew a one-run lead in an Aug. 26 contest against their current opponent, the Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays: Getting the Most from Starting Pitchers

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

The Toronto Blue Jays must get lower ERAs from their starting pitchers against the Texas Rangers in the ALDS. 

Yes, they've marched to a playoff run by winning the AL East. But, as a group, Toronto's starting pitchers combined for a 3.96 ERA in the regular season.

That number isn't bad, but it isn't excellent either. It needs to get better if the Blue Jays want to put away the Rangers with confidence.

What could hold them back: Pitcher David Price. The Jays' ace has a career ERA of 4.98 in five playoff games, all of which were losses. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: Continuing Kershaw and Greinke Dominance

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Dodgers own two of the league's best pitchers in Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. 

And they're both equally important for L.A. to advance deeper into postseason play. 

Greinke and Kershaw have pitched 222 and 232 innings this season, respectively. Their ERAs are 1.66 and 2.13, respectively.

Those are some seriously respectable numbers, and they speak for themselves—without question, the Dodgers heavily rely on these two players, and their performances will determine whether or L.A. moves past the NLDS.

What could hold them back: Relief pitching. Among Dodgers' relievers with at least 20 games played, only two (J.P. Howell and Kenley Jansen) have ERAs lower than 3.00.

New York Mets: Team Pitching

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

As a whole, the New York Mets pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.43—the fourth best in Major League Baseball. 

Jacob deGrom's 205 strikeouts and 2.54 ERA certainly has something to do with it. 

But he's not the only Met throwing heat this season. 

Jeurys Familia, for example, has a 1.85 ERA in 78 innings pitched. This Mets team has multiple pitchers that have performed extremely well this season, prompting Yoenis Cespedes to say the group is better than the Dodgers'. 

What could hold them back: Subpar hitting. The Mets have a season batting average of just .244, ranked 28th in the league. That number doesn't bode well against the Dodgers' pair of aces.