The playoffs are nearly upon us. MLB’s second season will get underway over the next few days, with the Wild Card games and the Divisional Series shortly thereafter. Dreams will be dashed. Legends will be made. But who will step up when their club needs them the most? Some years it has been the usual suspect who takes their already high game to another level (ex. 2013 David Ortiz, 1991 Kirby Puckett, 1977 Reggie Jackson). Others it is unlikely heroes that make a solitary October their career’s crescendo (ex. 2011 David Freese, 2015 Daniel Murphy). So while it may be a futile endeavor in practice, let’s try to sort out who could be each playoff team’s Mr. October in 2016.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES- Manny Machado, 3B
We’ll start off with the Wild Card participants. And first and foremost we’ll have probably the least “out of the box” pick of the lot. Machado has been the anchor of both the lineup and defense this year, as he has been pretty much every year he’s been healthy. His defensive versatility has been a godsend, and he’s provided protection for the slew of sluggers around him. But, the Macho Man has yet to have that defining set of postseason moments. He slashed a paltry .158/.238/.368 in his lone playoff run in 2012. However, Machado was just 19 that year, and has grown exponentially since as both a clutch player and team leader. Baltimore fought tooth and nail through September to get the Wild Card game on their turf, but came up just short. I think Manny Machado could get them past that stage and beyond.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS- Troy Tulowitkzi, SS
He is their most expensive player, but Troy Tulowitzki is a forgotten man in Toronto. As the pitching staff has matured, and the likes of Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson have raked, Tulowitzki has faded into the background of the Jays attack. He hasn’t been the same player since leaving the launching pad of Coors Field, but during last year’s ALCS Tulo showed he could still park one in a big spot. Tulowitzki hobbled up to the plate in the third inning and subsequently parked one to dead center as part of a 6 run inning that turned the tide. He has hit three home runs off potential Orioles starter Chris Tillman, tied for fourth most among opposing pitchers. There could be more to come this October.
NEW YORK METS- Robert Gsellman, SP
Using droves of unproven talent, and a more than favorable schedule, the defending NL champion Mets steamrolled through September to take the first Wild Card spot. They will throw out Noah Syndergaard for the Wild Card game, but if Thor is successful in that matchup, the pickings get slim. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Steven Matz won’t see a single postseason inning, leaving a huge burden on Bartolo Colon and Syndergaard. That is unless one of the recent call-ups weave together some October tapestries of pitching legend. Out of that lot, Robert Gsellman is most likely to do so. He’s sported a 2.42 ERA over 7 big league appearances. The 23 year old strikes out nearly a batter per inning, and has yielded just one home run in 44.2 frames. His name looks like a typo, but it could be one Mets fans recall for years down the road.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS- Brandon Crawford, SS
Did anyone not expect the even year voodoo priests San Francisco to make the playoffs? They are here and in the Wild Card game, they will trot out one of the most dominant postseason pitchers in recent memory, Madison Bumgarner. But while MadBum is the scene stealer, he has had plenty of help from his co-stars in San Fran’s past three deep October escapades. Nonetheless, Pablo Sandoval and Edgar Renteria, the two previous World Series MVPs before Bumgarner, have moved on. Buster Posey and Brandon Belt are prime candidates to fill the void as top hitter, but I’m going to got with Brandon Crawford as the new Bay Area Mr. October. The slick fielding shortstop has three multiple RBI series to his name, including a grand slam in the 2014 Wild Card game. Could the even year magic lead to a thunder clap for Crawford off Thor, and more?
BOSTON RED SOX- Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Earlier in 2016, there was no player on a bigger roll than Jackie Bradley Jr. It seemed as if JBJ was launching a titanic tater or reeling in a Web Gem caliber catch on a daily basis. He was awarded with a starting nod in the All-Star Game. He’s fell off significantly since, but he’s still had a solid season. Plus, picking David Ortiz (an October God), Mookie Betts (a potential AL MVP), or Xander Bogaerts just feels like cheating. I resisted the temptation to put a starting pitcher on this list for Boston, because I feel the Sox are going to have to slug their way through the playoffs. Rick Porcello has been the lone bright spot in a sea of duds hurler-wise. At least Bradley has a chance to make an impact at the plate, and save the blushes of the men on the mound in the field.
CLEVELAND INDIANS- Jose Ramirez, 3B
Cleveland has built their reputation on their pitching and their fielding. But if they are going to go far into October, they’ll need their lineup to step up. Francisco Lindor is the big man on campus. Mike Napoli has the postseason pedigree. But Jose Ramirez is the most vital cog to the Tribe’s survival in the postseason. I found an article the other day describing Ramirez as the most clutch player in baseball. You take a little trip over to the Fangraphs page surrounding win probability and Ramirez is conspicuously sprinkled among the game’s elite. Ramirez is just outside the top 10 in WPA and is sixth in Clutch rating. He isn’t a stat compiler, and he isn’t a flashy player. But when the Indians need someone to step up late, it is usually the 24 year old Dominican. That is an attribute tailor made for October baseball.
TEXAS RANGERS- Matt Bush, RP
The Rangers are one of the best stories of perseverance in recent baseball history. The club has dealt with injuries to nearly every player in their lineup, including losing Prince Fielder to a career ending neck injury. Somehow, Texas has held off both Houston and Seattle quite easily to cruise to the AL West crown. Now they hope to be more than just bridesmaids in the postseason. One place they need the most “over their head” performances would be the bullpen. Sam Dyson is the head of a late inning triumvirate for Texas, but I think the middle innings are where the Rangers are going to need a shining star. That’s where Matt Bush comes in. The former #1 overall pick has gone through a lengthy road to redemption, and this postseason could further the narrative. If Bush can be a lights out bridge to Dyson, Texas stands a chance.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS- Max Scherzer, SP
The Nationals have been perennial underachievers in October. Washington is oozing with talent, but always seems to find a way to shoot themselves in the foot in the postseason. They have last year’s Mr. October, Daniel Murphy, in tow. Bryce Harper is due to bounce back from a subpar year. Mark Melancon will give the beleaguered bullpen stability. In the end though, they need their ace to be an ace. Max Scherzer finished 2016 as the NL leader in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, and WHIP. But this is Mad Max’s first postseason in Washington, and first as a #1. That means that unlike his tenure in Detroit, he’s getting the opposition’s top dog each time out. LA’s Clayton Kershaw has his own postseason demons, but if Scherzer is going to emerge in the conversation of best pitcher in the sport, a win against Kershaw in the NLDS would help.
CHICAGO CUBS- Aroldis Chapman, RP
What can we say about the Cubs? This has been the year of dreams for the North Siders. They ran away with the NL Central en route to the best record in baseball. But this is the Cubs in October, so there is always that lingering reservation about having high expectations. Baseball curses aren’t to be trifled with, but even one as steadfast as the Billy Goat Curse eventually expire. But if that hex is to be cast aside, the Cubs need their bullpen to be functioning at 100% capacity. That goes double for Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban fireballer has been in the form of his career since joining from New York, going 16-for-18 in save opportunities with a 1.01 ERA and 0.83 WHIP. He can cement himself as a legend though if he nails down the first World Series for the Cubs since 1908.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS- Justin Turner, 3B
This one is hope as much as it is prognostication. The bane of the Dodgers’ postseason existence in recent years has been clutch hitting. Not being able to push a run home when it counts stings double in October. Justin Turner has been one of few Dodgers that excel in both the regular and post-seasons in the latter part of the game. He hit .526 against his ex-mate Mets in last season’s ALDS, with six of his ten hits going for extra bases. Big Red will have to come up even bigger this season if Big Blue is to make it past the first round. I have faith in Turner more than anyone in the lineup, and to date he hasn’t let me down. Let’s not make this October a first.
Who do you think will be your club’s Mr. October this postseason? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @TREVORutley or @sportsftb.