The quartet of franchises remaining in the MLB postseason cruised into the league championship round

The Houston Astros Pat Neshek Jersey , Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers lost a combined two games in the ALDS and NLDS to move one step closer to the World Series.Thanks to their dominant performances, each of the four teams enter the ALCS and NLCS with plenty of rest.The Dodgers and Brewers kick off the second round of the postseason Friday, while Houston and Boston begin their series at Fenway Park Saturday night. MLB Playoff ScheduleFriday, October 12NLCS Game 1:Los Angeles at Milwaukee (8:09 p.m., FS1) Saturday, October 13NLCS Game 2:Los Angeles at Milwaukee (4:09 p.m., Fox)ALCS Game 1:Houston at Boston (8:09 p.m., TBS) Sunday, October 14ALCS Game 2:Houston at Boston (7:09 p.m., TBS) Monday, October 15NLCS Game 3:Milwaukee at Los Angeles (Time TBD. Fox or FS1) Tuesday, October 16NLCS Game 4:Milwaukee at Los Angeles (Time TBD, Fox or FS1)ALCS Game 3:Boston at Houston (Time TBD, TBS) Wednesday, October 17NLCS Game 5:Milwaukee at Los Angeles (Time TBD, Fox or FS1)ALCS Game 4:Boston at Houston (Time TBD, TBS) Thursday, October 18ALCS Game 5:Boston at Houston (Time TBD, TBS) Friday, October 19NLCS Game 6:Los Angeles at Milwaukee (Time TBD, Fox or FS1) Saturday, October 20NLCS Game 7:Los Angeles at Milwaukee (Time TBD, Fox or FS1)ALCS Game 6:Houston at Boston (Time TBD, TBS) Sunday, October 21ALCS Game 7:Houston at Boston (Time TBD, TBS)Games can be live-streamed on Watch TBS and Fox Sports Go. Bracket PredictionsMilwaukee over Los Angeles in 6It's hard to pick against the Milwaukee Brewers with the way they've been hitting the baseball.The Brewers hit four home runs and scored 13 runs in their dominant NLDS victory over the Colorado Rockies.Christian Yelich continued to make an impact at the plate, as he hit one home run and drove in two runs, and he also scored four runs over three games.Ryan Braun, Mike Moustakas and unexpected offensive threat Erik Kratz recorded the most hits on the Milwaukee roster in the NLDS, and the well-rounded lineup is expected to thrive in the NLCS.Joe Mahoney/Associated PressWhile the lineup received plenty of praise yet again, it was the Milwaukee pitching staff that made the biggest difference in the NLDS, as it struck out 30 batters and gave up two earned runs, both of which were conceded by Jeremy Jeffress.The Dodgers, who are back in the NLCS for the third consecutive season, faced more of a challenge from the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, but they overpowered the NL East champion with their bats in Game 4.The key for the Dodgers will be to keep the Brewers' lineup off balance in the first two games in order to steal a game on the road.Hyun-Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw combined for 15 scoreless innings in the first two games of the NLDS, but both of those contests were at Dodger Stadium.While the Dodgers appear to have the advantage in the rotation, the Brewers hold the edge in the bullpen thanks to the crew led by Josh Hader.No matter who is on the mound for either team, they're going to have to silence a collection of in-form hitters.Even though the Dodgers possess home-run hitters like Manny Machado and Max Muncy up and down their lineup, they're going to have to do damage against Milwaukee's starters to thrive in the series.Hader and Co. will be too tough to deal with out of the Milwaukee bullpen, and with the Brewers holding a close lead in Games 1 and 2, they'll be to shut the door on the Dodgers and create momentum in a tight series.Boston over Houston in 7The last defending World Series champion to make it back to the championship series a year later was the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and 2009.Houston is attempting to break the decade-long curse, but it'll struggle to put away the Red Sox over the course of seven games.The pitching matchups alone are worth the price of admission, as Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Dallas Keuchel http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-lenny-dykstra-jersey , Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello will be on display.Tim Warner/Getty ImagesWhile the majority of those pitchers mentioned above are expected to thrive in some capacity, Price is the biggest question mark on both rosters.Price once again struggled in a starting role in Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, and he might be better suited in a relief role if he fails to produce a quality start in the front end of the ALCS.How each lineup adjusts to the quality of starters could be the ultimate difference maker, as the series should be decided by small margins.Houston had the better statistics in the ALDS, as it hit .327 as a team with eight home runs, while Boston posted a .279 average with four home runs.Despite the difference from the ALDS, the Red Sox will wake their bats up, with Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi both improving from the seven combined hits they recorded against the Yankees.Benefiting from the home-field advantage at Fenway Park in the first two games will provide a boost to Boston's power hitters, who won't slow down when they get to Minute Maid Park.Of course, you could make the same argument about Houston's home-run hitters throughout the series.Since the margins will be so tight, the Red Sox and Astros will go the distance with Sale outlasting Verlander in a Game 7 that will go down as a classic.Follow Joe on Twitter, JTansey90.Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference. Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are the marquee names on this year's free-agent market, and both players could wind up signing record-breaking deals.They're not the only ones about to cash in, and for every excellent under-the-radar bargain signing, there's a player who winds up being massively overpaid.From unsustainable breakout performances to aging stars headed for a decline, free agency can be a minefield of financial pitfalls.Ahead is a closer look at six prime candidates to be overpaid this winter.SP Anibal Sanchez1 of 6Rich Schultz/Getty Images2018 Standard:24 GS, 7-6, 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 BB, 135 K, 136.2 IP2018 Advanced:143 ERA+, 3.62 FIP, 3.85 SIERA, .255 BABIP, 26.3 Soft%WAR:3.0OutlookWhat a find Anibal Sanchez has been for the Atlanta Braves.The 34-year-old pitched to an atrocious 6.41 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in 105.1 innings with the Detroit Tigers in 2017, wrapping up a five-year, $80 million deal in disastrous fashion.Not surprisingly, he generated little interest on the free-agent market, and after the Minnesota Twins released him from a minor league deal on March 11, he caught on with the Braves five days later.After nursing a hamstring injury early on, he returned from the disabled list May 29 and provided a consistent presence alongside breakout ace Mike Foltynewicz at the top of the rotation.While his 3.62 FIP lends credibility to his strong performance, there's little doubt he was the beneficiary of some good luck, as his .255 batting average on balls in play was the 10th-lowest mark among pitchers who threw at least 120 innings.Signing him to anything longer than a one-year deal would be a major risk.Buying low and betting on a bounce-back season from someone like Marco Estrada or Lance Lynn is a far better approach than buying high on Sanchez.2B Asdrubal Cabrera2 of 6Rich Schultz/Getty Images2018 Offensive:112 OPS+,.262/.316/.458, 60 XBH (23 HR), 75 RBI, 68 R2018 Defensive: -17 DRS, -10.1 UZR/150WAR:0.7OutlookPoint: Asdrubal Cabrera is still a major threat offensively after posting a 112 OPS+ and cranking out 60 extra-base hits last year.Counterpoint: Those numbers came amid deteriorating plate discipline, as his walk rate plummeted (9.3 to 6.9 percent) and his on-base percentage (.351 to .316)followed. He also hit just .228/.286/.392 for an 80 OPS+ in 185 plate appearances following his trade to the Philadelphia Phillies.Point: His defensive versatility adds to his value.Counterpoint: There's nothing valuable about playing multiple positions poorly. His minus-17 DRS and minus-10.1 UZR/150 at second base made him one of the worst defensive players in baseball, and he combined for minus-6.0 DRS in limited action at shortstop and third base.Final thoughts: For teams looking to add an impact utility player, Marwin Gonzalez and Eduardo Escobar will be infinitely better options. If you whiff on those two, you'll get more bang for your buck out of someone like Daniel Descalso or Logan Forsythe, and they'll likely both come cheaper than Cabrera.RP Zach Britton3 of 6Mike Stobe/Getty Images2018 Standard:41 G, 7 SV, 9 HLD Rhys Hoskins Jersey , 3.10 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 21 BB, 34 K, 40.2 IP2018 Advanced:140 ERA+, 4.22 FIP, 3.57 SIERA, .241 BABIP, 20.7 Soft%WAR:0.7OutlookZach Britton has dealt with some significant injury issues since turning in a Cy Young-caliber season in 2016.A left forearm issue sent him to the disabled list twice during a less-than-stellar 2017 season, and then he suffered a ruptured Achilles during the offseason.When he finally returned to action this past June, it took him some time to shake off the rust, but that didn't stop the New York Yankees from trading for him in July.The 30-year-old ended up pitching to a 2.88 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with three saves and eight holds in 25 appearances with the Yankees, and that surface-level resurgence should be enough to fuel his first foray into free agency.However, those seemingly strong numbers came with a 4.08 FIP, and even as he started to get a better feel for his stuff, he was still walking batters at a 4.0 BB/9 clip.In a market where Brett Cecil inked a four-year, $30.5 million contract two offseasons ago, there's a good chance Britton is massively overpaid. For teams in search of lefty relief help, aiming lower and signing someone like Jorge De La Rosa could yield similar results at a fraction of the price.SP J.A. Happ4 of 6Jim McIsaac/Getty Images2018 Standard:31 GS, 17-6, 3.65 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 51 BB, 193 K, 177.2 IP2018 Advanced:117 ERA+, 3.98 FIP, 3.64 SIERA, .272 BABIP, 20.5 Soft%WAR:1.6OutlookVeteran J.A. Happ was a game-changing addition for the New York Yankees at the trade deadline.In 11 starts after coming over from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 26, he went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 63.2 innings.He can be an excellent addition this offseason at the right price.The 35-year-old just wrapped up a three-year, $36 million deal, and continuing on at that $12 million price point gives him a chance to provide some positive value.However, signing him to anything beyond a two-yeardeal is risky given his age, and anything beyond that salary could wind up being a massive overpay.As good as he was during his two months with the Yankees, he was pitching to a good-not-great 4.18 ERA in 20 starts prior to the trade, and that level of production is probably a safer bet going forward.CF A.J. Pollock5 of 6Michael Hickey/Getty Images2018 Offensive:106 OPS+,.257/.316/.484, 47 XBH (21 HR), 65 RBI, 61 R, 13 SB2018 Defensive:6 DRS, -1.6 UZR/150WAR:2.5OutlookA.J. Pollock was one of the most dynamic players in baseball during the 2015 season.He showed an impressive mix of contact, power and speed with a .315/.367/.498 line that included 39 doubles, 20 home runs and 39 stolen bases, also racking up 14 DRS in center field to win his first Gold Glove.Unfortunately, he's never been able to match that level of production.In the three seasons since that monster performance http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-carlos-santana-jersey , he's played in 12, 112 and 113 games, missing time once again this season with a fractured thumb.It's more than just injuries, though.His walk rate has dropped from 7.9 percent in 2015 to 6.7 percent this season, and his strikeout rate has moved in the opposite direction from 13.2 to 21.7 percent. His defensive metrics have also never returned to that elite level.He's still the best center field option on the market and was a 2.5-WAR player this season, even with time missed to injury. Teams just need to make sure they're paying for what he is, and not what he used to be, or they could wind up massively overpaying.RP Andrew Miller6 of 6Bob Levey/Getty Images2018 Standard Stats37 G, 2 SV, 10 HLD, 4.24 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 16 BB, 45 K, 34.0 IP, 0.2 WAR2018 Advanced Stats104 ERA+, 3.51 FIP, 3.29 SIERA, .329 BABIP, 14.9 Soft%OutlookLast time Andrew Miller was a free agent, he signed a landscape-altering four-year, $36 million deal with the New York Yankees.That was an unprecedented figure for a non-closer reliever, and his performance during the 2016 postseasonhelped usher in a new era of bullpen usage.For the first three years of that deal, he was absolutely in the conversation for best reliever in baseball. Serving a number of different roles, he posted a 1.63 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 14.4 K/9 with 17 wins, 50 saves and 52 holds in 187 appearances.However, a nagging shoulder injury cost him significant time this year, and he hasn't been his usual dominant self. Most notably, his signature slider has been far more hittable:2017:642 sliders,56.97% usage, .099 BAA, .053 ISO, 3 XBH, 76 K2018:320 sliders, 56.84% usage, .260 BAA, .208 ISO, 10 XBH, 26 KAt 33 years old, there's no guarantee he returns to his pre-2018 form.He's still capable of being an excellent addition to any bullpen, especially in a thin market for lefty relievers. There's a good chance someone trying to win it all in 2019 will overpay in both years and dollars and wind up regretting it on the back end.All stats courtesy ofBaseball ReferenceandFanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.