Is there a more exciting time in sports than playoff baseball? As the summer winds down and the fall creeps up, the best teams from the AL and NL are preparing to battle in October.
There is no doubt every team needs all of its players to perform well down the home stretch, but some players are more valuable than others.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most crucial players for each MLB playoff contending team.
New York Mets (72-58): Curtis Granderson, CF
Putting aside his moon-landing conspiracy-theory views, Granderson will need to continue his productivity and leadership so the Mets don’t have a 2007-like meltdown. We know the Mets pitching staff will hold their own, but the hitters will have to step up and provide consistent run support. Granderson has been hot as of late hitting .320 in his last seven games. He is a proven veteran, and the young Mets players will be looking for his leadership down the stretch.
St. Louis Cardinals (84-46): Yadier Molina, C
Arguably the most critical position in baseball, the catcher controls the game. Molina has defined consistency in playoff baseball by compiling a career playoff batting average of .290 with 31 RBIs. As long as he can control the pitching staff and provide clutch hitting, he has a real chance to lead the Cardinals to the World Series.
LA Dodgers (72-57): Jimmy Rollins, SS
While the four-time Gold Glove winner hasn’t lived up to the full potential LA hoped for, he has still proven he is a defensive stalwart. Now that he is teamed up with former Philadelphia teammate Chase Utley, look for Rollins to find his groove late in the season. A veteran with great playoff experience and a World Series championship, the Dodgers will need Rollins to keep providing stellar defense and clutch hitting.
Pittsburgh Pirates (79-50): Andrew McCutchen, CF
A lock-down defender in center field, McCutchen will have to continue his solid season. Bringing in 85 RBIs this season, the Pirates will look to McCutchen to deliver timely hitting and show-stopping defense come October.
Chicago Cubs (74-55): Jon Lester, P
In a talent-packed NL Central, the Cubs are set for a franchise season and will have to make the playoffs by way of the Wild Card. This means they will be handing the ball to Jon Lester for the play-in Wild Card game. Lester has certainly had a wish-washy season with a 3.59 ERA, but the Northsiders have no choice but to rely on their superstar ace in October.
Washington Nationals (66-63): Jayson Werth, RF
Just as the Nationals are starting to play to their full potential, Werth is also beginning to heat up. After spending the first half of the season on the bench with a broken wrist, Werth has taken over the leadoff spot batting .306. He will be needed mainly for driving in runs if the Nats want to make the playoffs.
Toronto Blue Jays (74-56): Josh Donaldson, 3B
The Blue Jays are playing some of the best baseball in its franchise history. Adding superstars David Price and Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto is doing everything it can to stay atop the AL East. Donaldson has been as consistent as any player could be—both defensively and offensively—and has already tallied an incredible 104 RBIs this season.
Houston Astros (72-59): Jose Altuve, 2B
Coming off an impressive August in which he batted .309, Altuve has really found his groove. While the Astros are making quite an impact in the American League, they lack playoff experience. Altuve needs to continue to be a leader as this young Astros team prepares for a historic playoff run.
Kansas City Royals (80-50): Eric Hosmer, 1B
The two-time Gold Glove winner has had a career year, batting .310 and .842 OPS. As the Royals continue to dominate the AL Central, they will need Hosmer to stay hot and clutch if they want to return to the World Series.
New York Yankees (72-57): Carlos Beltran, CF
After a slow start, Beltran has proved he is worthy of his hefty $15 million salary. In the past seven games, the center fielder has batted .389 with only four strikeouts. He picked the perfect time to get hot as the Yankees are only 1.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the top spot in the AL East and are leading the AL Wild Card by four games.
Texas Rangers (68-61): Adrian Beltre, 3B
Beltre is having a pretty mediocre season overall batting .272. However, in the last seven games the third baseman has been en fuego batting .423, and he has 17 RBIs in the month of August. The Rangers are 1.5 games up on the Minnesota Twins for the second AL Wild Card spot.
Minnesota Twins (67-63): Joe Mauer, 1B
As the Twins battle for the second AL Wild Card spot, they will lean heavily on Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter from a leadership and experience standpoint. Mauer is batting .271 this season with 55 RBIs. The Twins will need Mauer to drive in more runs if they want to play baseball in October.
LA Angels (65-65): Mike Trout, CF
No one can wait for August to end more than Mike Trout, as he batted just .194. The four time All-Star can change the pace of the game with one play, and no doubt he elevates his teammates’ play. If the Angels want to make the post season, Trout needs to perform at the top of his game.
Tampa Bay Rays (64-66): James Loney, 1B
The Rays remain 4.5 games behind the Rangers in the AL Wild Card chase and will rely on veteran James Loney to make a September push. The 2015 season marks Loney’s 9th MLB season, during which he is batting a modest .267. The Rays are looking to return to the playoffs after a two season hiatus, and Loney can provide the necessary leadership to get there.
Cleveland Indians (63-66): Michael Brantley, OF
It may be his beef and noodle diet, or the fact that he is one of the most fundamentally sound MLB players in recent time, but Brantley is the key to the Tribe making a playoff run. Making the All-Star Game and batting .325 this season, Brantley is the undisputed champ for the Indians.