MLB

There's no turning back now, folks. On Tuesday (8:05 p.m. ET on ESPN), the Houston Astros visit the New York Yankees in a do-or-die American League Wild Card Game to kick-start the 2015 playoffs, with a trip to the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals awaiting the winner.

Making the MLB playoffs is an impressive accomplishment, but with a wild-card berth, the whole year can come crashing down with just one game.

The Chicago Cubs head to the Steel City to face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game on Wednesday night.

What do the Pirates need to do to win? Will Jake Arrieta be able to dominate on the road?

The Houston Astros and New York Yankees will kick off the 2015 MLB postseason with the American League Wild Card Game Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. 

The National League side of the 2015 MLB postseason kicks off on Wednesday night when the Pittsburgh Pirates will host the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Game.

Despite having the second- and third-best records in all of baseball, the two teams are forced to meet in the do-or-die game after the St. Louis Cardinals claimed the NL Central title with a 100-win season.

There are 162 games in a Major League Baseball season, but they're all just a warm-up for what comes next. And what comes next, friends, is happening now.

The postseason has arrived.

Ready or not, you've come to the right place. With the field set for the 2015 playoffs—the American League and National League Wild Card Games kick things off Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively—it's time for a full preview and predictions for what's to come this October.

After taking a look at the top starting pitchers, the B/R MLB 300 has now reached its final position: relief pitchers.

Our list of the top relievers contains 30 of our 300 overall players, and they were chosen based on a scoring system that adds up to a total of 80 possible points.

After a long, grueling 162-game season, four MLB teams have earned the exclusive, highly sought-after rights to, well, another game of baseball.

The MLB's Wild Card Games see two American League and two National League teams square off in one-game playoffs. It's a pressure-packed way to begin the postseason and will certainly be a nerve-wracking experience for all involved.

When MLB drew up the Wild Card Game, this is exactly what it had in mind. Two great National League Central rivals led by young aces will square off in Wednesday night's win-or-go-home bout between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

Normally, one player stands out as the undisputed key to a team's championship run.

Last year, Madison Bumgarner stepped up and helped lead the San Francisco Giants to a third World Series title in five years.

Before that, David Ortiz launched a monster shot off Joaquin Benoit to help the Boston Red Sox gain momentum, surge past the Detroit Tigers and eventually win a championship.

Can someone put together a similar performance in 2015 and live in postseason lore forever?

Let's take a look at a critical player for each playoff team.