MLB postseason race: Five players who must step up down the final stretch to reach the playoffs

These five impact players could determine the fate of their teams in the final standings

By Danny Vietti

Sep 17, 2019 at 9:46 am ET • 4 min read

Two weeks. That is how long we have left of regular season baseball. Two weeks for players to find one last hot streak. Two weeks for teams to make one final playoff push.

For some teams, two weeks might not be enough. Despite respectable second half surges, the Diamondbacks and Mets' efforts could be too little, too late. The Fightin' Phils never quite found their groove. And as for the Red Sox, pending a miraculous comeback, they will most likely be watching the playoffs from the comfort of their couches, rooting for whoever matches up with the Yankees.

That leaves three NL clubs fighting for two wild-cards spots: Nationals, Cubs and Brewers (Cardinals could also fall into the race). A familiar scenario is unfolding in the AL between the A's, Rays and Indians. For the latest look at the playoff picture, click here.

Needless to say, it's go-time for those who have worked their tails off for 150-plus games to put themselves in playoff contention.

Now is also time for individual players to step up, particularly those who have expectations placed upon them. We have seen X-factor players take teams from being on the bubble to dancing in October. Cody Ross took San Francisco to another level in 2010, Daniel Murphy caught fire for the Mets in 2015, and the list goes on.

These impact players can be the difference between cleaning out the locker room and spraying champagne in it.

Here are five players who need to step up if they want their teams to make the postseason.

1	Ryan Braun MIL • LF • #8 View Profile
	Christian Yelich is done for the season after fracturing his kneecap, and the Brewers' rotation has been a question mark all season. Credit to the Brew Crew for refusing to pack it in, winning 10 of their past 12 contests. The offense will have to catch fire if they want to steal a wild card spot, though. They rank fifth in OBP (.329) and fourth in home runs (232). Braun playing at a high level makes this lineup especially dangerous. Can he return to his MVP form? Probably not. However, a 2-3-4 punch of Grandal, Braun, Moustakas is enough to make a push. The 2011 MVP must be better than the .143 batting average he has accumulated in September.
2	Khris Davis OAK • DH • #11 View Profile
	According to Sportsline, Oakland has a 98.2 percent chance of making the postseason. Nevertheless, if they want to have any shot at getting past the one-game playoff, they need a resurgence from Khris Davis. Only two players have hit more home runs than "Krush" since 2016, and he was awarded with a much-deserved contract extension in April. Since then, he's been one of the worst hitters in the league, slashing just .215/.288/.336 and striking out 116 times in 103 games. Perhaps a short-lived hot streak in Texas last weekend, where he recorded a hit in every game and clobbered two home runs, can get things started for the power-hitting DH. A lineup with Semien, Chapman, Olson, and Davis has the potential to be lethal.
3	Jon Lester STL • SP • #31 View Profile
	Times like these are why the Cubs signed the veteran southpaw to $155 million contract. He has been in high leverage situations before and is comfortable pitching in big games. With that being said, Lester owns the third-worst ERA of his career (4.59) and is on pace to give up more long balls than ever before (25). As it lines up now, Lester is slated to start three more games, including the final regular season game in St. Louis on Sept. 29 (pending changes in the rotation). If the Cubs want to hold off the Brewers, Lester will have to find a way to improve upon the .338 opponent batting average he owns this month.
4	Tyler Clippard WAS • RP • #39 View Profile
	Cleveland has been derailed with injuries more and more as the season has progressed. From Corey Kluber to Carlos Carrasco to Jose Ramirez, it has been an uphill battle from Opening Day. Most recently, All-Star closer Brad Hand was sidelined with an arm injury -- fortunately the MRI results came back negative. Since Hand's last appearance on Sept. 8, the Indians have had all of Oliver Perez, Taylor Rogers and Adam Cimber collect saves. Clippard has yet to join the save squad, though he did pitch a scoreless ninth against the Angels to secure a four-run lead on the night after Hand's last appearance. Though it has been quite a while since Clippard was the two-time All Star set-up man in Washington, he has experience pitching late in games. The Indians bullpen has been stellar, as exemplified by their league leading 3.60 ERA. If Clippard can provide manager Terry Francona with a reliable workhorse late in games, catching either the A's or Rays could become a greater possibility.
5	Blake Snell LAD • SP • #7 View Profile
	Snell has not pitched in a big league game since the end of July after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove a loose body in his elbow. Nonetheless, the 2018 AL Cy Young winner is set to return Tuesday for an inter-league start at Chavez Ravine against the Dodgers. Snell struggled with control before his surgery, limiting his ability to pitch deep in games (5.0 IP/start). But, he's a strikeout machine (12.1 SO/9) and always has swing-and-miss stuff. Expecting Snell to rejuvenate into his 2018-form is unrealistic, but providing his team with multiple four-to-five inning starts could prove its worth over the next couple weeks. With Snell, Charlie Morton, and Tyler Glasnow, making his own return from his lengthy IL stint, the Rays have the opportunity to make some serious noise if they can ink a postseason spot.