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25 most important stars for MLB playoffs

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees follows through on a sixth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees follows through on a sixth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Major League Baseball’s postseason kicks off this week, and these are the superstars that will define the 2019 quest for the World Series.

At long last, the 162-game grind of MLB’s regular season is over and the playoffs are set to begin this week. It was yet another exciting and memorable season of baseball. Most division races lacked intrigue, but the Wild Card chase in each league went down to the wire, leaving us with the following matchups:

  • AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays @ Oakland Athletics
  • NL Wild Card: Milwaukee Brewers @ Washington Nationals
  • ALDS: Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees
  • ALDS: Wild Card winner vs. Houston Astros
  • NLDS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves
  • NLDS: Wild Card winner vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Thanks to their power pitching, dynamic lineup and blockbuster trade for Zack Greinke, the Astros enter the postseason as the heavy favorites to win their second title in three years. The Dodgers will look to go back to the Fall Classic for the third year in a row and bring home the trophy for the first time since 1989. The favorites will have plenty of challengers, however, and should not feel too safe in their status at the top.

MLB’s postseason is a chance for stars to define their legacies, and the winner often finds surprising contributors to push them over the top. The playoffs will begin tomorrow and all 10 teams look forward to trying to emerge as the last ones standing at the end of October. These are the 25 stars to watch who must perform well to give their respective squads a chance to win it all.

KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Houston Astros relief pitcher Roberto Osuna (54) pitches in the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals on September 13, 2019 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 13: Houston Astros relief pitcher Roberto Osuna (54) pitches in the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals on September 13, 2019 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

25. Roberto Osuna

With Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke, the Astros have built a rotation for the ages, but none of that may matter if they are unable to nail down the type of close games that seem to happen every night in the postseason. That trio could turn every night into a two-inning job for the Houston bullpen, but the fact remains that the relievers are going to have to get some of the team’s outs. The Astros have had very few issues with their bullpen in the regular season, but there have been hiccups in the playoffs.

Roberto Osuna rubs plenty of people the wrong way with his history of domestic abuse, but the Astros have compartmentalized the less savory aspects of employing him as closer. Osuna has been steady in his ninth-inning duties, but every Astros fan should remember watching the postseason of Ken Giles.

In addition to Osuna, the Astros will expect Will Harris and Ryan Pressly to play big roles out of the bullpen. Starter Brad Peacock will also make the shift out to join the relievers. He struck out 13.3 per-nine in 61 games as a full-time reliever last season.

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