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Every MLB Team’s Biggest X-Factor Heading into the 2015 Season

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Every Team's Biggest X-Factor Heading into the 2015 Season

Colorado Rockies v San Francisco Giants
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After a wild offseason, the 2015 MLB season is shaping up to be a very interesting one. There figures to be several compelling division races, but only a handful of teams can reach the postseason. What happens with each team's x-factor this season will largely help determine the outcome of the upcoming season for every team in the league.

Los Angeles Angels - Starting Pitching

Oakland Athletics v Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Los Angeles Angels - Starting Pitching

Oakland Athletics v Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Last season the Angels had the best regular season record in baseball, but that didn't matter once they got to the postseason. A lot of their postseason failure had to do with their lack of an ace. Garrett Richards was injured for the playoffs, so he or someone else is going to have to step up this season and become the ace the Angels need in order to make a deep playoff run.

Seattle Mariners - Nelson Cruz

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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Seattle Mariners - Nelson Cruz

ALCS - Baltimore Orioles v Kansas City Royals - Game Four
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The Mariners were impressive last season, just missing out on the playoffs. This year, they figure to be even more competitive and that's due largely in part to their acquisition of outfielder Nelson Cruz. As long as he continues to hit for power like he did last season with the Orioles, Seattle will be in good shape in 2015.

Texas Rangers - Elvis Andrus

Oakland Athletics v Texas Rangers
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Texas Rangers - Elvis Andrus

Oakland Athletics v Texas Rangers
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Andrus majorly underachieved last season, prompting some to speculate about whether or not the Rangers would trade him this offseason. They've stayed committed to him, however, so now he needs to produce and make the team's commitment worth it.

Oakland Athletics - Relief Pitching

Wild Card Game - Oakland Athletics v Kansas City Royals
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Oakland Athletics - Relief Pitching

Wild Card Game - Oakland Athletics v Kansas City Royals
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Where starting pitching and offense were concerned last season, the Athletics were set. However, their bullpen struggled at times and it ended up costing them the Wild Card playoff game last season. In 2015, they're going to need to be able to rely on their bullpen more.

Houston Astros - George Springer

Houston Astros v Texas Rangers
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Houston Astros - George Springer

Houston Astros v Texas Rangers
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In his rookie season, Springer really turned some heads with his raw power. For the Astros to have any chance of competing in 2015, he's going to have to keep that up. The Astros don't expect to compete this season, so there shouldn't be much pressure on Springer, but he needs to keep some momentum going to keep building on each season as his career begins to take off.

Detroit Tigers - Relief Pitching

Cleveland Indians v Detroit Tigers
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Detroit Tigers - Relief Pitching

Cleveland Indians v Detroit Tigers
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Of all the Achilles heels of the major contenders last season, the Tigers' bullpen was the most vulnerable. It nearly cost them the division in the regular season and it completely cost them their ALDS playoff series. They're paying Joe Nathan and other back-end bullpen guys a lot of money, so they need to start earning it.

Chicago White Sox - Team Chemistry

Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox
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Chicago White Sox - Team Chemistry

Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox
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The White Sox are one of the most improved teams on paper in the league, but there's really no telling how their new players will pan out. It certainly seems like they should be contenders this season, but it will all come down to how the new players mesh. Only time will tell if all the pieces will fall into place.

Kansas City Royals - Yordano Ventura

World Series - San Francisco Giants v Kansas City Royals - Game Six
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Kansas City Royals - Yordano Ventura

World Series - San Francisco Giants v Kansas City Royals - Game Six
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This offseason, the Royals lost their ace James Shields, who was a big part of their run to the World Series last year. While they signed Kris Medlen and Edinson Volquez in the offseason, it will be up to youngster Yordano Ventura to step into the ace role. Last season, he certainly appeared to have the "stuff" to do so.

Cleveland Indians - Corey Kluber

Minnesota Twins v Cleveland Indians - Game One
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Cleveland Indians - Corey Kluber

Minnesota Twins v Cleveland Indians - Game One
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Kluber appeared to come out of nowhere last season to win the AL Cy Young award and he's a big reason the Indians were competitive into the season's final week in 2014. He can't afford to have much of a drop off if the Indians hope to compete in a tough AL Central this season.

Minnesota Twins - Starting Rotation

Minnesota Twins v Oakland Athletics
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Minnesota Twins - Starting Rotation

Minnesota Twins v Oakland Athletics
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With several hitting prospects making their way toward the major leagues, the Twins have been slowly adding veteran pitching talent to the fold. Phil Hughes worked out really well last season and Minnesota is hoping newly signed Ervin Santana is just as successful. If the rotation can step up, their time table for contending could be moved up.

Toronto Blue Jays - Closer Role

Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox
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Toronto Blue Jays - Closer Role

Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox
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Since closer Casey Janssen left via free agency, the Blue Jays have been looking for someone to fill his shoes. This offseason they haven't found anyone. That means, as of right now, the closer job will probably go to Brett Cecil. How he or whoever takes over the job performs will largely determine how competitive Toronto is this season.

Boston Red Sox - New-Look Rotation

Chicago White Sox v Detroit Tigers
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Boston Red Sox - New-Look Rotation

Chicago White Sox v Detroit Tigers
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As crazy as it sounds, 60 percent of the Red Sox's rotation this season has never pitched for Boston before. Three new arrivals, Wade Miley, Justin Masterson and Rick Porcello, make up the bulk of the starting rotation. This gives them a pretty deep group, but no established ace. Someone is going to have to step up for the Red Sox to get back to the postseason.

Baltimore Orioles - Outfield Production

ALDS Game 3: Baltimore Orioles v. Detroit Tigers
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Baltimore Orioles - Outfield Production

ALDS Game 3: Baltimore Orioles v. Detroit Tigers
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This offseason has been a rough one for the Orioles. They lost Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz to free agency and have been left scrambling to find replacements for them. While they have Adam Jones and re-signed Delmon Young, it still may be tough to get over the departures of their two starting outfielders. If they can't find serviceable replacements, they're going to take a step back in 2015.

New York Yankees - Starting Pitching

New York Yankees v Milwaukee Brewers
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New York Yankees - Starting Pitching

New York Yankees v Milwaukee Brewers
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It's usually a good bet that the Yankees will have a good starting rotation, but that wasn't the case last season. A lot of that had to do with health, but they also just didn't get great performances. If C.C. Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka can stay healthy, perhaps the rotation can get back on track.

Tampa Bay Rays - Production from Young Players

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants
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Tampa Bay Rays - Production from Young Players

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants
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With so many changes in Tampa Bay, they're going to have to rely on contributions from youngsters in 2015. Guys like Steven Souza, Kevin Kiermaier and Rene Rivera have to step up to at least show the Rays have a bright future ahead of them.

San Diego Padres - New-Look Outfield

Los Angeles Dodgers Photo Day
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San Diego Padres - New-Look Outfield

Los Angeles Dodgers Photo Day
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One of the biggest stories this offseason was the Padres' total overhaul in the outfield. With Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton, they now have one of the better outfields in baseball, which wasn't the case last season. While Petco Park is a tough place to hit, these three will need to be major contributors for the Padres if they hope to reach the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Back-End Starting Pitching

Colorado Rockies v Miami Marlins
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Los Angeles Dodgers - Back-End Starting Pitching

Colorado Rockies v Miami Marlins
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There's no question the Dodgers' top of the rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu is elite. However, there are question marks remaining for the No. 4 and 5 spots. Those spots are likely to be taken by Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson, both of whom have been hot and cold. Anderson, especially, has a lot of upside if he can stay healthy.

San Francisco Giants - Third Base Production

Oakland Athletics v Miami Marlins
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San Francisco Giants - Third Base Production

Oakland Athletics v Miami Marlins
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After losing Pablo Sandoval to free agency this offseason, the Giants were left scrambling to find a replacement for him. While they weren't able to sign anyone elite, they did deal for Casey McGehee, who could be a serviceable replacement. If they want to compete this season, they'll need McGehee to take his career to new heights, though.

Arizona Diamondbacks - Yasmany Tomas

2013 World Baseball Classic - Pool 1, Game 5: Team Netherlands vs. Team Cuba
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Arizona Diamondbacks - Yasmany Tomas

2013 World Baseball Classic - Pool 1, Game 5: Team Netherlands vs. Team Cuba
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One of the biggest bats of this offseason, Yasmany Tomas was signed by the D'Backs and he should provide some great protection for slugger Paul Goldschmidt. The Cuban star certainly seems like the real deal and how he performs will help determine how far the D'Backs go this season and in the future.

Colorado Rockies - Ability to Trade Troy Tulowitzki

85th MLB All Star Game
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Colorado Rockies - Ability to Trade Troy Tulowitzki

85th MLB All Star Game
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In all honesty, the Rockies don't really have a chance of competing in a tough NL West in 2015. However, in order to improve their future chances, they are going to need to trade slugger Troy Tulowitzki. They should be able to get a great prospect load for him and if they get an offer they like, they should pull the trigger.

St. Louis Cardinals - Carlos Martinez

Pittsburgh Pirates v St. Louis Cardinals
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St. Louis Cardinals - Carlos Martinez

Pittsburgh Pirates v St. Louis Cardinals
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This season, the Cardinals are going to ask flamethrower Carlos Martinez to make the transition from the bullpen to the rotation full time. He throws gas and has good command of most of his pitches, so his chances of success are high. If he can be an above-average starter, the Cardinals are in a very good spot in the NL Central.

Pittsburgh Pirates - Josh Harrison

Philadelphia Phillies v Pittsburgh Pirates
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Pittsburgh Pirates - Josh Harrison

Philadelphia Phillies v Pittsburgh Pirates
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Last year, Josh Harrison was an absolute revelation for the Pirates. He performed so well that he received several votes as a top five MVP candidate in the National League. This season, he should be the full-time starter at third base with Pedro Alvarez moving to first base. Harrison needs to keep up his production from last season for the Pirates to challenge the Cardinals.

Chicago Cubs - Kris Bryant

SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game - World Team v United States
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Chicago Cubs - Kris Bryant

SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game - World Team v United States
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It's crazy to say a player who won't be on the Opening Day roster is a team's x-factor, but that's exactly the case with the Cubs. Super prospect Kris Bryant should be in the major leagues by late April and when he arrives, he has the potential to be a superstar right away. If he can live up to his potential right away, he will provide a boost to the Cubs and give them a chance at a playoff berth.

Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun

San Diego Padres v Milwaukee Brewers
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Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun

San Diego Padres v Milwaukee Brewers
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The Brewers were a surprising contender last season, but it's going to be more difficult for them to compete in 2015. Slugger Ryan Braun is going to have to stay healthy and return to his dominant form for Milwaukee to have a chance at competing.

Cincinnati Reds - Joey Votto's Health

Cincinnati Reds v Pittsburgh Pirates
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Cincinnati Reds - Joey Votto's Health

Cincinnati Reds v Pittsburgh Pirates
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Joey Votto's playing time lately has been like a lunar eclipse: it doesn't come around often, but when it does, it's spectacular. There's just no denying the Reds are a better team when Votto is on the field, but he can't seem to stay healthy. If he plays all of 2015, the Reds have a fighting chance of competing this season.

Washington Nationals - Offensive Production

Atlanta Braves v Washington Nationals
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Washington Nationals - Offensive Production

Atlanta Braves v Washington Nationals
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With a starting rotation of Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Doug Fister, the Nationals don't have to worry about giving up runs. That means as long as they're able to put runs on the board, they're going to be successful. If their offense can do just enough, the Nationals could easily end up with the best record in baseball in 2015.

Atlanta Braves - Top-of-the-Order Production

Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves
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Atlanta Braves - Top-of-the-Order Production

Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves
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At the beginning of the offseason, it seemed like the Braves were headed for a down year in 2015, but that may not be the case. If they hope to be successful, they're going to need their 1-3 hitters, Nick Markakis, B.J. Upton and Freddie Freeman, to set the tempo for the rest of the offense.

New York Mets - Shortstop Production

Colorado Rockies v New York Mets
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New York Mets - Shortstop Production

Colorado Rockies v New York Mets
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After a promising start to the offseason, the Mets failed to fill their biggest hole. That hole was the shortstop position and it looks like they're going to head into 2015 with Wilmer Flores as the starter. They need to either hope Flores has a breakout year or they need to deal for a better shortstop if they hope to compete for a playoff spot.

Miami Marlins - Jose Fernandez's Health

Los Angeles Dodgers v Miami Marlins
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Miami Marlins - Jose Fernandez's Health

Los Angeles Dodgers v Miami Marlins
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Miami has impressively added quite a few pieces this offseason, but its hopes for competing hinge on Jose Fernandez's recovery from Tommy John surgery. He's the team's unquestioned ace and if he comes back early in the season, and has no setbacks, the Marlins could make the playoffs in 2015. If he suffers any setbacks, though, Miami could be in trouble.

Philadelphia Phillies - Ability to Trade Cole Hamels

Atlanta Braves v Philadelphia Phillies
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Philadelphia Phillies - Ability to Trade Cole Hamels

Atlanta Braves v Philadelphia Phillies
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While there's a chance the Phillies could surprise people in 2015, it's really time for them to start writing the next chapter in their franchise's history. That starts with trading Cole Hamels for a bundle of prospects. If they're able to do that soon, they can greatly accelerate the rebuilding process.

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