Fansided

10 MLB stars who need to step up and carry their team to the playoffs

By Joshua Sadlock

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 31: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park on July 31, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 31: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park on July 31, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 08: Miguel Sano #22 of the Minnesota Twins runs the bases against the Cleveland Indians during the game on August 8, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 7-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – AUGUST 08: Miguel Sano #22 of the Minnesota Twins runs the bases against the Cleveland Indians during the game on August 8, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 7-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

8. Miguel Sano

The Minnesota Twins have been the biggest MLB surprise this year as they roared out to a large lead in the AL Central and have held baseball’s best overall record at different points of the season. The team’s dream season, however, is showing signs of unraveling. The Twins find themselves in second place for the first time since April 18 and are only 33-29 over the past three months.

Minnesota has been keyed by a lineup that has ranked among the best in baseball all year. Kudos to the front office for building a dominant offensive force out of underrated, homegrown talent and shrewd free-agent pickups like Nelson Cruz and C.J. Cron. The Twins don’t have many household names, but that’s only a function of their market size. Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver would be viewed as stars if they played in a bigger city.

One of the players who was supposed to emerge as a star for the Twins, third baseman Miguel Sano, has continued to struggle. The 26-year-old appeared to be on the verge of ascending into the upper echelon of the league’s power hitters after making the All-Star Game and putting on a show at the Home Run Derby in 2017, but his last two seasons have been lost to injury and off-field issues.

Sano played only 32 games in the second half of 2017 and was limited to just 71 last year with a hamstring injury. When he was able to return to the big leagues, he hit just .199/.281/.398 with 13 home runs and 115 strikeouts. Sano whiffed in over 43 percent of his at-bats last season, which would have put him on pace to demolish the single-season record over 162 games.

He did not make his debut until the middle of May this year and is hitting .237/.333/.547 with 20 home runs and 46 RBI and 100 strikeouts in 69 games. Sano has hit for power but not much else for the Twins this year. If he can deliver a more complete offensive game down the stretch, the Twins lineup will be impossible to slow down.

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