The push to the playoffs is officially underway in the MLB, and there are several intriguing storylines in the National League.
American League Players To Watch For Each Team In The Hunt
The Cubs, Mets and Astros all seem primed to break long postseason droughts, while the NL Central is on the cusp of sending three teams to playoff baseball. The Cardinals are once again striving to the best team in the game, while the Dodgers appear poised for their third straight NL West crown.
Here are the key players to watch for on each of the five teams currently holding a playoff spot as the road to the MLB postseason continues to play out.
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Cubs: Anthony Rizzo
Chicago's young infield has already been better than advertised and Rookie of the Year candidate Kris Bryant is another contender for this spot. Rizzo is a legitimate MVP candidate, but he can't waver in his first meaningful stretch run. Rizzo enters Friday fourth in the NL with a .911 OPS and fifth with a team-leading 30 homers. Rizzo, who launched his 30th homer Thursday, is a big reason the Cubs own the second Wild Card spot and are just three games behind the Pirates. When the Wild Card Game rolls around, Jake Arrieta (19-6, 1.92 ERA) will be the most vital player to watch.
Pirates: Andrew McCutchen
Pittsburgh's centerfielder is once again an MVP candidate, but he can't fall apart now if the team wants to catch the Cardinals and avoid playing in the Wild Card Game for the third straight year. McCutchen is fourth in the NL entering Friday in RBI (93-tied), on-base percentage (.397) and fifth in OPS (.899). McCutchen is hitting just .241 in September and will be a huge part of the Pirates lineup in the stretch run, especially since they dropped three of four to the Cubs this week. Pittsburgh is five games behind St. Louis in the NL Central and owns a two-game lead over Chicago for the top Wild Card spot.
Mets: Yoenis Cespedes
A lot of the focus for New York will be on its young pitching with Jacob deGrom struggling as he enters a career-high for innings pitched, Matt Harvey dealing with innings controversy of his own and Noah Syndergaard struggling to pitch well on the road, but the team has been unbelievable since the addition of Cespedes. The outfielder is hitting .345 since joining the Mets in 43 games with 17 homers and 42 RBI. His impact on the lineup is invaluable and his flexibility in playing left or center field has been a big asset to New York as it owns an eight-game lead over Washington and chases its first playoff berth in nine years.
Cardinals: Yadier Molina
The St. Louis catcher is a wily veteran and is vital to the team, not only for his bat, but for his ability to handle a pitching staff and play solid defense behind the dish. The Cardinals have dealt with myriad injuries, but they have been the best team in baseball all year even despite losing ace Adam Wainwright to a torn Achilles in April. Molina has hit .272 this season and has been an impact player handling a pitching staff that has faltered lately, but owns the best team ERA in baseball (2.86).
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw & Zack Greinke
This is a bit of cheating, but these two have had an incredible run in Los Angeles this season and are key cogs to the Dodgers as they continue to hunt down a playoff spot. Even scarier for opposing teams is that Greinke has been a Cy Young candidate all year long, while Kershaw has gotten hot at the right time, winning his last nine straight decisions. Greinke leads the majors with a 1.61 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP, while Kershaw is first in the league with 264 strikeouts and paces the NL with 208 innings pitched. Both will be vital down the stretch and in a short series, will be difference-makers if they stay hot.
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