Possible X-factors for 2016 MLB playoffs

Baez has been everything the Cubs could have hoped for as a utility infielder this season, playing strong defense at three positions while hitting 13 home runs in 380 at-bats. With an OPS above .800 against lefties, teams will have to adjust their bullpen moves with Baez's presence in mind.

The Nats' bullpen could play a bigger role than expected with Stephen Strasburg unlikely to return. There has been great turnover in the pen, but as we stand now Belisle has been one of their best relievers. With a 1.88 ERA through 38 appearances, he could bridge the gap to Mark Melancon.

Acquired in July for Drew Storen, Benoit has been very effective for Toronto with only one run allowed through his first 20 appearances. He gives Toronto capable setup man work.

Bush has gone from prison to becoming the Rangers' setup man. He's likely to get some Rookie of the Year votes with a sub-3.00 ERA. He will be relied on heavily with a rotation that lacks many workhorses.

De Leon has held his own in L.A.'s rotation during September, and it's not impossible that he could be one of the team's top four starters during the playoffs due to injuries. He's been one of the most dominant minor league pitchers in baseball since 2014 and had a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts at hitter-friendly Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to his call-up.

The Cubs have a deep bullpen, and Edwards has been a key piece. The hard-throwing right-hander has more than 12 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.70 ERA through 29 appearances in his rookie season. He should play a big role regardless of the rotation's performance.

There's no use in sugarcoating the fact that Gomez has been awful this season between Houston and Texas. However, he's played better since arriving to the Rangers following Shin-Soo Choo's injury, hitting four homers over his first 20 games. If the Rangers can get anything out of Gomez, it would help both the team and Gomez's stock as he approaches free agency.

Grilli is having a surprisingly great year as Toronto's setup man since being acquired from Atlanta, with a 2.72 ERA over his first 38 appearances for the Blue Jays. He's still had trouble keeping the ball in the park, but the Jays need him to be effective in the playoffs to reach their goal.

Cleveland wanted to fix its issues vs. lefties at the trade deadline, and Guyer has delivered after coming over from Tampa Bay. He has an OPS of .900 through 66 at-bats in Cleveland, and his OPS is above 1.000 against southpaws for the season. Stacked with Mike Napoli, Cleveland's lineup becomes very scary for Cole Hamels, David Price and other lefty starters in the playoffs.

Boston's bullpen is stacked when healthy, which hasn't been often this year. With Craig Kimbrel, Koji Uehara and Brad Ziegler at the end of games, Hembree has been overlooked in middle relief. He has a 2.62 ERA through 44.2 innings and could play a key role if the Boston rotation can't show better consistency.

Baltimore's starting rotation performance from the regular season probably won't cut it in the playoffs, but the O's are getting a strong contribution from Jimenez at the right time. Despite an ERA near 6.00, Jimenez has a streak of four quality starts in a row and has shown dominance at times. If his streak continues into the end of September, he will almost certainly get a spot in Baltimore's playoff rotation.

Kim looked lost during spring training and April, but he's now proved that he can play in the majors. He's hit .308 with a .389 on-base percentage through 266 at-bats, and the Korean has performed extremely well in the No. 2 hole. His ability to get on base is important for a team with loads of power in the middle of the order, including Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo.

Law has arguably been San Francisco's best relief pitcher this season, posting a sub-2.00 ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio above 5.00 through 54 appearances. The Giants have a talented rotation but will rely on their middle relievers if they make the playoffs.

Lewis was well on his way to a career year before suffering a lat injury that sidelined him for almost three months. The Rangers are happy to get him back as they look for answers in their rotation behind Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, and Lewis has shown flashes of effectiveness as a starter in the playoffs with a career 2.38 ERA in 53 innings.

The Mets' rotation has fought through injuries all season, and the statuses of Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz are still up in the air due to arm injuries. Lugo has made a shocking contribution between starting and relief after posting a 6.50 ERA at Triple-A Las Vegas this season. With a young rotation that provides limited innings, the team will certainly need Lugo in the playoffs.

Miller has been mostly used as a setup man since coming over from the Yankees at the trade deadline and has remained arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball. The lefty is 7-1 with a 1.66 ERA, 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings and only 1.1 walks per nine innings through 62 appearances. He's clearly a difference maker, even if he isn't closing out games.

Moncada has picked up some playing time at third base and as a pinch hitter for Boston. Even if he's not starting for the team during the playoffs, his athleticism could make him a key bench piece. The 21-year-old Cuban hit .294-15-62 with 45 steals in the minors this season.

San Francisco's outfield production this season hasn't been what it expected, between injuries and ineffectiveness. Parker has the ability to add some punch off the bench, now with 11 home runs in only 198 career plate appearances.

Reyes is penciled in to the Cardinals' 2017 starting rotation, but he's surfaced as a dominant long reliever down the stretch. The top prospect effortlessly touches triple digits on the radar gun and has been unhittable, with a 1.29 ERA through 28 MLB innings. His biggest issue is control, but Reyes is quite a weapon to bridge between the rotation and setup men.

The Indians have no choice but to hope Tomlin gets on track for the playoffs, as Danny Salazar seems questionable with an elbow injury. Tomlin has managed to stay healthy this season, and his performance has been as expected with nearly perfect control but inconsistency keeping the ball in the park. He leads the AL in home runs allowed but had a 3.51 ERA at the All-Star break. If he can continue to pitch well in September, Tomlin will likely be Cleveland's fourth starter.

Soler entered the season as a fourth outfielder but was forced to step back into a regular role when Kyle Schwarber got hurt. The Cuban has had injury issues again but has flashed power with 11 home runs through 216 at-bats. Regardless of whether he plays regularly, Soler is streaky enough to carry his team when he's right.

Turner has carried the Nats late in the year as a regular splitting time between center field and second base. He has an OPS near .900, hitting .340 with 24 steals through 57 games. While he still shows a raw approach, Turner's play alongside Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper could determine how far the Nationals go in the playoffs.

After some early career hiccups, Urias has shown why there was so much hype surrounding him as a minor leaguer. The 20-year-old has a 3.50 ERA through 72 innings, moving to the bullpen now to limit his innings. Since the All-Star break, Urias has a 2.02 ERA in the majors. He can provide strong relief work if the fragile Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and company aren't able to go deep into games.

Utley's season hasn't been great, especially in the second half, but few players have more playoff experience than the 37-year-old veteran. He has an .898 career OPS in the playoffs. The Dodgers could use Utley more as a role player after he's worn down in the second half, hitting just .219 with a .629 OPS.

Weaver could force himself into the St. Louis playoff rotation with the way he's pitched since being called up to the majors. The former first-round pick has been the team's best pitcher recently, with a 3.48 ERA through six starts and 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The Cardinals have gotten disappointing seasons out of almost their entire rotation, so Weaver's contribution in any role will be welcome.