MLB Playoffs

Just like that, we're down to four. 

Both the American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series will begin this weekend, as the Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets will vie for the right to appear in the World Series. Over the next few slides, we'll identify 10 X-factors that will determine which teams face off in the Fall Classic.

What is an X-factor? There's really no clear-cut answer to that. 

Somebody different will win the World Series this year.

Sick of the San Francisco Giants hoisting MLB's trophy every even year? Tired of the St. Louis Cardinals filling all the gaps in between? Longing for the day where the Evil Empire gets conquered while the other budding, big-market villains in Boston also step aside? Good news: Both the American League and National League Championship Series present fresh faces far removed from their last victory parade. 

OK, it's time to toss away the division series the way Jose Bautista tossed away his bat.

We're ready to move on to what should be two great championship series. But first—can I have that bat back for a sec?—let's revisit an extraordinary week of division series baseball.

There were 19 games, one shy of the maximum (only the Chicago Cubs wrapped up their series in four games). Most of the games were good, a handful were great...and then there was that Game 5 in Toronto.

Meet MLB's final four.

In the process of setting the 2015 World Series odds for MLB's four league championship contenders, there is one observation that is inescapable: Everyone left standing has an excellent chance of winning a ring.

The Kansas City Royals have the October experience, and the Toronto Blue Jays have the collection of unreal bats. But the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs have the rising stars who are poised to take over the postseason.

LOS ANGELES — Good morning, good afternoon and good night.

By the time Jacob deGrom passed the ball to Noah Syndergaard and Syndergaard forwarded it to closer Jeurys Familia, there were singe marks throughout Dodger Stadium. Skid marks on the backs of those pristine white Dodgers uniforms. The place smelled like burning rubber.

The Chicago Cubs already had a spot in the NLCS locked up following Tuesday's Game 4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, but the New York Mets secured their place with a dramatic 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday evening.  

With the matchup set and a pennant on the line, here's a preview of when and where you can catch all the NLCS action between two championship-starved franchises:

FINAL SCORE: Mets 3 - Dodgers 2

The Mets are moving on!

Daniel Murphy put his team on his back and New York used a strong effort from its bullpen to edge out Zack Greinke and the Dodgers, 3-2, in Game 5 of the National League Division Series on Thursday night.

After two dramatic American League Division Series that went five games, the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals are set to square off in the ALCS.

Which team will come out on top? What are the keys to advancing to the World Series?

It should surprise absolutely nobody that a winner-take-all Game 5 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in the National League Division Series will come down to two of the best aces in baseball.

Zack Greinke gets the ball for the Dodgers at home, while Mets star Jacob deGrom takes to the mound in a Thursday night showdown that will decide who advances to face the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS.