A look at each American League team heading to playoffs

Who is the most feared team in the American League postseason?

Kansas City is determined to return to a World Series for a second consecutive season, and this year, their run production is better but their rotation is less stable. The Yankees are a wild card team that hobbled to the finish line at the end of the regular season.

The Astros, strong all season, stumbled in the first two weeks in September but played well in the final two weeks. The Blue Jays have unbelievable firepower, a deep bullpen and a proven No. 1 in lefty David Price. And, the Texas Rangers, who had a losing record at the end of July, managed to ride a fortified rotation to win the AL West.

Here are the AL storylines:

Houston: The Astros' top starters - lefty Dallas Keuchel (20 wins) and Collin McHugh (19 wins) are examples of why pitchers can't always be judged by wins. Keuchel, a favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award, had a 2.89 ERA while McHugh was at 3.89. The rotation has also Scott Kazmir, (4.17), a Houston native acquired from Oakland in July, and rookie Lance McCullers (3.22). Kazmir's postseason experience includes 2008 when he pitched for AL champ Tampa Bay. ... Keuchel, who will start the wild card game for the Astros on three days of rest, had 21 strikeouts combined in beating the Yankees twice during the regular season. ... The Astros, managed by A.J. Hinch - an AL Manager of the Year candidate - are a good power-hitting and baserunning team. Their 121 steals, including 38 by second baseman Jose Altuve, led the AL, and their 230 home runs were second. Designated hitter Evan Gattis, acquired from Atlanta, led the way with 27 homers followed by Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena with 25 each and Chris Carter with 24. Rookie shortstop Carlos Correa hit 22 even though he played in only 99 games. ... The Astros are in the postseason for the first time since losing the 2005 World Series to the White Sox. They had 70 wins last season and had at least 100 losses in three consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2013.

Kansas City: The Royals, who won their first division title since 1985, finished 11-17 in September but played well in the last week as they seek their second consecutive trip to the World Series. This year's team has more offensive firepower, scoring 73 more runs with 44 more home runs than last season. Kendrys Moralas and Mike Moustakas each hit 22 home runs and Salvador Perez 21. ... The Royals' plan, though, is similar to last season when they won with just enough starting pitching, a punishing bullpen, an airtight defense and a disruptive running game. ... How deep they go depends on starter Johnny Cueto who, after arriving from the Reds in a July trade, slumped in August but rebounded with an improved September when his last four starts were encouraging. Yordano Ventura, sent to the minors earlier this season to work on his slider, pitched well in September and capped his season with 11 strikeouts Saturday in Minnesota. .... The bullpen's new closer is Wade Davis, who took over in September for Greg Holland, whose effectiveness was limited with injuries.

New York: The wild card Yankees, who led the AL East by seven games on July 28, are back in the postseason after missing two consecutive seasons, which is an eternity by Yankee standards. They're in despite a season of never-ending twists and turns during the regular season, their first in the post-Derek Jeter era. ... Their strength is a bullpen with Dellin Betances (1.50 ERA) and lefty Andrew Miller, who had 100 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. Betances showed signs of fatigue in September with 11 walks. ... The Yankees' two best hitters are Carlos Beltran, 38, and rookie Greg Bird, who took over at first for the injured Mark Teixeira, who went out with a broken leg in mid-August. Beltran hit .276 with 19 home runs and Bird had 11 home runs in 46 games. ... Alex Rodriguez, coming back from a yearlong PED suspension, struggled in the second half after a strong first. ... The Yankees' two best pitchers have been Masahiro Tanaka (3.51 in 24 starts) and rookie Luis Severino, who showed poise and a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts. But lefty CC Sabathia, after struggles with knee injuries all season, had a 2.17 ERA in his last five starts. He, however, announced earlier today that he will check himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center and will miss the postseason.

Texas: The Rangers, who were 50-52 and eight games out in the AL West in August, are back in the postseason for the first time since 2012 when the Orioles beat them in the wild card game. The Rangers' biggest improvement came when they stabilized their bullpen with the acquisitions of Jake Diekman (Philadelphia) and Sam Dyson (Miami), who are in setup roles to closer Shawn Tolleson. ... The rotation is stronger after the trade for for All-Star lefty Cole Hamels and the return of lefty Derek Holland from the disabled list. The Rangers won 10 consecutive games in Hamels' starts during one stretch, and he pitched a complete-game win against the Angels on the last day of the season to clinch the title. The complete game gave the tired Rangers bullpen a chance to rest. ... Shin Soo Choo has been on fire in the No. 2 spot for the Rangers, getting on base almost 50 percent of the time in the final month. Prince Fielder and Mike Moreland lead the Rangers with 23 home runs while Choo had 22. ... Two young players, Delino DeShields and Rougned Odor, each averaged .261. Odor hit 16 home runs. DeShields had 10 triples.

Toronto: The Blue Jays, back in the postseason for the first time since winning the World Series on Joe Carter's walk-off home run in 1993, are known for their punishing power-hitting lineup that led the AL in runs. But, the team also ranks first in the AL in on-base percentage at .340, a good postseason tool to have when power is usually short-circuited. ... Jose Bautista, who hit 40 home runs, leads with a .377 on-base percentage while Josh Donaldson, the AL favorite in the MVP race, was at .371 with 41 home runs and a league-leading 123 RBIs. Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 39 home runs, was on base at a .372 clip. ... Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, out since Sept. 12 with a cracked shoulder blade, is back, and so is Marcus Stroman, who has returned from a torn ACL and is the Blue Jays' best pitcher behind Price, who led the AL with a 2.45 ERA pitching for Detroit and the Blue Jays. Stroman had a 1.67 ERA in four starts since returning from the DL, and he pitched the title-clinching win versus the Orioles at Camden Yards. ... The Blue Jays bullpen is a strength after newly-acquired LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe were brought on to support Brett Cecil, Aaron Sanchez and the 20-year-old closer, Roberto Osuna.