What happened: Reliever Aaron Ashby has worked 14 scoreless frames over seven appearances this postseason, holding opposing lineups to four hits and three walks, per ESPN's Buster Olney. In World Series Game 1, Ashby earned King of the Diamond honors after striking out three batters across 1.2 hitless innings on 20 pitches.

Why it matters: Multi-inning scoreless relief shortens postseason games and shields the rest of the bullpen from high-leverage overexposure during a seven-game series. His Game 1 outing alone added 12.9 percent in win probability while neutralizing the middle of the batting order after difficult postseasons in prior years.

What to watch: Ashby projects to remain the primary multi-inning high-leverage bridge option out of the bullpen as the World Series continues.