Potential X-factors for the 2016 MLB playoffs

Six months of time and 162 games of play have come down to one crazy sprint. It's time for the Major League Baseball playoffs, and while everybody expects guys like Kris Bryant, Josh Donaldson, David Ortiz, Corey Kluber, Madison Bumgarner, and other stars to perform, there are still players who may get lost in the shuffle when it comes to discussing their chances to win during this time of year.

Every team has an X-factor to look out for, and this is the perfect time to take a look at the overlooked players and or trends that could have a major impact on their team's chances at lifting the Commissioner's Trophy at the end of October.

National League

Chicago Cubs

Remember when the Cubs signed Jason Heyward to a massive contract during the offseason and everyone figured that this would be the signing that put Chicago over the top as World Series contenders? Well, the latter did happen – the Cubs are still very much World Series contenders and are the bonafide favorites to win. However, it isn't because of what Heyward has done – especially at the plate.

Heyward's first season with the Cubs ended up being the worst regular season of his career. He only hit .230/.306/.325 this season, and had a career-low seven home runs during 2016. He was even benched at certain points of the season. However, there's one thing that Jason Heyward and the Cubs could still rely on, and that's his glove. The two major fielding metrics of DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) and UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) still have him rated as a great defender, and if he can continue to provide value with his defense, then the rest of the Cubs have more than enough firepower to make up for his offensive shortcomings.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Andrew Toles has only played 48 games this season, but he's provided plenty of value in just that short span of time. He's hit .314/.365/.505 in that span, and the rookie has proven that he doesn't look out of place during his short time with the Dodgers this season.  

It's especially remarkable when you consider that Toles was out of baseball last year, and has made an incredible rise from being without a team to potentially being one of the most important players for the Dodgers in a postseason run. He's come up big for Los Angeles in tight situations already this season, and could end up being a guy that the Dodgers count on when the stakes are even higher this month.

San Francisco Giants

Back in late September, Giants All-Star infielder Eduardo Nunez suffered a hamstring strain, and the injury kept him out of Wednesday's Wild Card game against the Mets. His replacement was Conor Gillaspie, and, well, you all saw what he did to the Mets.

While he got the Mets' attention due to his game-winning three-run homer, the reason why the Giants can depend on him is because of what he's doing with his glove. Although he's not spectacular on defense, he's having the best season of his career in that regard, and that's why the Giants have been leaning on him during Nunez's time on the shelf. Plus, Gillaspie is proof that October is all about unlikely heroes, and Gillaspie could have more moments as an unlikely source of heroics for San Francisco.

Washington Nationals

While their AL rivals across the Beltway may have wasted their opportunity to use a big-time reliever in a high-leverage situation, here's hoping that the Nationals won't make the same mistake that the Orioles did. They may not have a reliever on Zach Britton's level, but they do have a very solid one in the form of Blake Treinen.

Treinen finished the regular season with an ERA of 2.28 and a FIP of 3.62 over 73 appearances. That means that Treinen is very, very reliable for the Nationals. During this time of year, you need your relievers to be as solid as ever, because one bad inning could result in a loss that could turn your entire postseason sideways. Treinen has been solid for Washington, especially during the second half of the season. If he can keep on giving them solid performances from the bullpen, then the Nationals can go into the late stages of games knowing that they can lean on guys like Treinen to make sure that they can keep the lead or stay within arm's reach of their opponents.

American League

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have returned to the postseason mostly due to the fact that their young homegrown players are all starting to come of age and have delivered huge performances. From Jackie Bradley Jr., to Mookie Betts, to Xander Bogaerts, Boston has received a huge boost from their perfect mix of youth and experience. However, they could receive a potential boost from their newest homegrown addition to the squad: Andrew Benintendi.

Benintendi's only played 34 games at the major league level this season, but he's proven that he belongs – even in Boston's high-powered offense. He's been hitting .295/.359/.456 with a .357 wOBA as well, and while the power isn't there yet (he only has two home runs so far), he's still proven that he can produce at this level. If he can keep it up, then he can definitely help the Red Sox at big moments and who knows? This could end up being a breakout moment for the rookie.

Cleveland Indians

Tyler Naquin has had himself a very nice rookie season as the starting center fielder for Cleveland. He finished the season with a slash line of .296/.372/.514 with a .374 wOBA and 14 home runs. That's very solid production for a rookie, and he's definitely been one of the reasons why Cleveland has made it as far as they have and will be representing the AL Central as division champions.

However, there's one thing that stands out in his stats, and that's his Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP for short). Among players with at least 200 plate appearances this season, Naquin is currently leading baseball with a BABIP of .411. That basically means that if he puts the ball in play, he's probably going to end up on base, and that adds up during times like this where every hit is magnified. There's a catch, though: Naquin has a strikeout rate of 30.7%, so it's a bit of a double-edged sword here. However, if Naquin can keep on hitting, then he could provide the boost that Cleveland needs to have another championship parade in addition to the one that they had for the basketball team during the summer.

Texas Rangers

The number 36 is an extremely important number when you talk about the Texas Rangers this season. Why is that important? That's because 36 is the number of games that the Rangers won by one run this season, and they went 36-11 overall in one-run games. That's an MLB record, and if you're of the belief that clutch is everything in October baseball, then the Rangers should be in good shape. However, if you prefer to stay on the statistical/analytical side of things, then you know that the chances of the Rangers keeping this up are slim to none.

This isn't to say that the Rangers are a fluky team – it's almost impossible to be a 95-win divisional champion based on flukes alone. They still have one of the best offenses in baseball, and they play in a hitter's ballpark and will have home field advantage as long as they keep on progressing. As long as they hit, they will be an extremely tough out, but you should not expect their record in one-run games to hold up as they play the best teams in baseball. 

Toronto Blue Jays

It was on display during the AL Wild Card game, but it's still worth mentioning that Kevin Pillar is a fantastic defender. He's not going to give you too much at the plate – he's hitting a paltry .266/.303/.376 with only seven home runs. Again, the Blue Jays aren't starting him because of his bat, and they'll take whatever they can get from him. Instead, his glove is the reason why he's going to play a huge part in deciding whether or not the Blue Jays can take a step forward in this year's playoffs.

Pillar may not have eye-popping offensive numbers, but it's a completely different story on defense. He finished the season with 21 DRS, which was third in all of baseball, and he also finished second in baseball in UZR with a number of 21.1. Having a steady defensive presence during October can be just as important as having someone who can mash at the plate, and Pillar is the defensive bedrock of the Toronto Blue Jays.