Preview/Prediction

Following a pair of Game 5’s that had their fair share of drama, the American League is down to just two teams while the National League awaits the winner of the Mets-Dodgers series to see who will take on the Chicago Cubs.

For the second time during this young postseason, two National League aces will clash in a winner-take-all elimination showdown when the New York Mets face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

In the American League, the board for the championship series is set. On one side is the Toronto Blue Jays. On the other, the Kansas City Royals. At stake: a trip to the World Series.

Prediction: Pain.

At least for one side. Exactly which side will be feeling it depends on what decides this series: the Blue Jays' unparalleled power, or the special combination of a little bit of everything that has turned the Royals into a powerhouse.

But first, let's catch everyone up on how we got here.

It's not the ending anyone in Houston wanted, but there's no shame in losing the American League Championship Series to Kansas City in five games. Especially when your future is as bright as it is for the Astros, a team that wasn't supposed to be here...yet.

With the bulk of the roster under team control, sweeping change doesn't need to come to Minute Maid Park. Changes will certainly be made as the team looks to build off its success in 2015, but they figure to be more tweaking than full-blown remodeling.

Emotions in Texas are running high after the Rangers dropped a thrilling Game 5 in the American League Division Series to the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3. You can be sure that, as you're reading this, there's a Rangers fan calling for radical change in Arlington.

With Game 5 of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium fast approaching, it’s time to

The two underdogs in the American League Divisional Series didn't take care of business at home in closeout games, and now the onus falls on them to deliver on the road in a pair of decisive Game 5 affairs.

The postseason is still in full swing, but it's never too early to turn our attention to the offseason ahead.

This year's free-agent class is headlined by a foursome of starting pitchers, David Price, Zack Greinke, Jordan Zimmermann and Johnny Cueto, and there is plenty of starting pitching depth behind them.

On the offensive side of things, outfielders Yoenis Cespedes, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon headline a position player class that also includes Chris Davis, Ian Desmond, Ben Zobrist, Dexter Fowler and Daniel Murphy.

For fans of a select few MLB squads, playoff baseball represents the most exciting time of the year. Supporters of eliminated teams, however, must helplessly watch others live and die on every heart-pounding pitch as their minds wander to the offseason.

If you wanted drama in the MLB playoffs, you got it.

Wednesday will feature two winner-take-all battles with both American League Division Series going to Game 5. The four teams all took different paths to get to this point, but now they know any pitch could be the difference between going to the American League Championship Series and going home.