Giancarlo Stanton is the Yankees X-Factor in the MLB Playoffs

Only one game separates the New York Yankees regular season conquest from their postseason trek to hoist their 28th World Series crown, but there is still an X-factor out there waiting to prove himself.

His name is Giancarlo Stanton and he has the chance to make or break the Pinstripes' playoff aspirations.

Yup, 2019 has been a year to forget for the former NL MVP, as a profusion of injuries forced him to miss 68 games earlier in the season. Stanton struggled in his return and was eventually diagnosed with a right knee injury that held him out for the majority of the second half.

Since returning presumably fully healthy last week, however, Stanton has looked like his typical world-beating self. And no, he is NOT going to ruin the Yanks chemistry.

When the four-time All-Star is hot, he can carry an offense, or, in the Yankees case, propel them into the indisputable World Series favorites. When he's slumping, however, he provides a gaping hole in the middle of a lineup that carries a best-in-baseball pedigree.

It's a short sample size, but Giancarlo has delivered in his 16 cameos this campaign, slashing .308/.431/.538.

We hate to bring up Stanton's putrid postseason performance from 2018, but its absolutely relevant here. If he personifies something similar to that, well, the Pinstripes will be packing their bags A LOT sooner than anticipated.

There's simply no other player fitting to man the role of the Yanks ace in the hole with their postseason inception just a few days away.