Yeah don't we always argue on here that the 2015 Jays were probably the best team in baseball that year and should have won? Instead they got bounced by the Royals and their SUPERSTAR leadoff hitter Alcides Escobar... and they ended up winning the WS against the Mets, arguably a better team.
Bottom line is you DONT need an MVP player to make the playoffs. You DONT need a Cy young candidate. You DONT need a crazy run differential.
You just need a solid team and for things to break right over the course of 162. And in the playoffs, just need a couple guys to hold a hot streak for a few weeks. (Daniel Murphy, Mookie Betts, Steve Pearce, Alcides Escobar, Madison Bumgarner, etc.)