SINGAPORE - OCTOBER 30: Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates a point in her singles final against Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia during day 8 of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore at Singapore Sports Hub on October 30, 2016 in Singapore. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
We're starting to get to the pointy end of the MLB season, and it's getting tight at the top of most of the six divisions across the majors.
But even for a team like the Chicago Cubs, with a 12 game lead in their National League Central division, there is plenty to worry about come playoffs time.
No team in the league is infallible, and with most divisions currently being decided by an average of less than 6 games, no team looks like shoo-in for the World Series just yet.
Toronto Blue Jays: Bullpen reliability
The Toronto Blue Jays can out slug any team in the majors, American or National league, and with a hitter as big as Jose Bautista to come back into the lineup, they only get more formidable.
Far from being bad, it is still the reliability of the Blue Jays' bullpen that has Canadians holding their breath on a return to AL Championship Series.
In ERA, the Jays' pitching staff ranks #4 in the majors, but the ‘pen itself only comes in at 15 out of 30 teams. For a batting lineup as talented as this, it would be a shame if they were let down by a leaky bullpen when it matters. However, that may be the case come October.
Cleveland Indians: Starting pitching depth
For Cleveland sports fans, it could be 10 Christmases and five birthdays all at once given how close their Cleveland Indians may go to winning it this year. They're currently just a win away from the best team in the AL, but the party could be over very soon come the playoffs.
Cleveland own the opposite problem to their brothers across the lake in Toronto – instead of relief depth, it is starting depth that has the Indians worried.
Josh Tomlin is a shell of the man who started the season 7-0, as he has since gone 4-7. Danny Salazar is in a similar predicament. Having gone 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA, before the All-Star break, he is now 1-1 with a 9.88 ERA. These two Tribesmen must re-find their way, or their team will simply not last a post-season run.
Texas Rangers: Starting pitching depth
It may seem like a cop out to whack two teams with the same problem in a row, but the problem may be even worse at the Texas Rangers than it is in Ohio.
In light of recent performances from Martin Perez, doomsayers in Texas are mentioning the prospect of possibly entering September with a “two man rotation” of Cole Hammels and Yu Darvish.
Whilst Perez is far from terrible (8-9 and 14-12 in starts, alongside a 4.37 ERA), his recently inconsistent starts, against poor sides no less, are concerning. The Rangers need him to be better than a .500 pitcher for a meaningful post-season, and right now, he's not.
Washington Nationals: Stability
The Washington Nationals certainly cop their fair share from pundits, from fans, even from their own city, all despite winning plenty of ball games. But issues aren't raised for no reason, and most of Washington's point to instability.
Everything about the Nationals screams inconsistent – from their constant head coaching changes, to their various player slumps and position switches, to their last five seasons full stop, the Nats have not been able to carry one season's promise to the next.
It may just be a cop out, but it may indeed have some substance to it – the Washington Nationals may not be ready to win big in October yet until they gain the confidence through consistency and continuity to do so.
Chicago Cubs: Decisions
When you're the best team in baseball and you lead your division by 12 games, life is pretty peachy. But at the end of the day, the Chicago Cubs have already showed this season that they are a far from infallible outfit.
The Cubs have already suffered one monstrous slump this season before the All Star break, which now seems a distant memory, but come the playoffs, they may have some personnel decisions to make.
How do they keep Wilson Contreras in the lineup? Who catches whom? Should Jorge Soler replace Jason Heyward in the lineup, despite Heyward's incredible defence? All questions that need to be answered for a club as deep as the Cubbies, but not a problem suffered by most others.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Health
I could've marked pitching down here for the Los Angeles Dodgers also. After all, limiting runs has taken a mantle of far more importance in the modern game than whacking them over the fences.
But this is not just a pitching thing. Although they are waiting for several pitchers to return, such as Rich Hill, and the best pitcher in baseball Clayton Kershaw, it is much more important for the Dodgers to make sure health is their number one priority.
Currently, their .5 game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West is the equal narrowest in the league, alongside the Blue Jays' over the Boston Red Sox. If they cannot stay healthy, that lead over some people's WS favourites will evaporate quick smart.