7 MLB stars who have to step up in September

Chris Davis

He’s hot and he’s cold; he’s yes and he’s no. It’s been almost impossible to predict what Chris Davis will do on a given night this season, although it’s a good be he will record at least one strikeout (Davis has gone without a K in only 24 of his 129 games so far this season). The big first baseman has been incredibly slump-prone this season.

From July 21 to August 9, Davis batted .106 with only one home run and 28 strikeouts in 19 games. He followed that by batting .311 with seven home runs in 13 games. Now, Davis is riding another deep slump and is 4-for-26 over his last eight games. Outside of homering, striking out, or walking, he has done very little this season.

The home runs have come in clusters this year for Davis, and when he hasn’t been knocking them out of the park, he’s done very little to contribute offensively. In 2014, the O’s endured a lengthy Nelson Cruz slump in the second half, only to see him explode in September. That’s what the Orioles need out of Davis this year, but it’s anyone’s best guess if he will produce.

If the first five months of the season are any indication, Davis is due for at least one week-long stretch of knocking baseball’s into oblivion. That could be enough to keep the Orioles afloat in the standings.