X-Factors for each MLB playoff team
Houston Astros: Lance McCullers
The 21-year-old fireballing McCullers has shown some serious upside in his rookie season after skipping Triple-A altogether. If the Astros can advance past a potential Wild Card Game with their ace on the mound, figuring out the rotation after that becomes a big key.
McCullers will be an important part of that puzzle as a No. 2 or 3, along with Scott Kazmir. In 18 starts, McCullers has a 3.22 ERA (3.18 FIP) per FanGraphs, and has only allowed more than three runs in two separate outings.
With a lively fastball that sits in the mid-90s, McCullers has struck out just over a batter per inning in his rookie campaign. Houston set McCullers down to Double-A for a couple of weeks in August to work on a few things, but he’s returned to majors and is pitching well enough to factor into their potential playoff rotation if the club can hold off the Minnesota Twins.
McCullers has the upside to be dominant in any given outing, so his performance will be a major x-factor for the Astros. As such a young age, its also easy to see how he could struggle in a playoff outing, particularly on the road, where the entire team has struggled in 2015.
Houston knows it has a great chance in any game Keuchel takes the mound. The rotation after that will determine how far the Astros go this postseason. In any case, McCullers is a critical piece for the stretch run and beyond.
Next: MLB All-Time 25-Man Roster
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