Even the youngest teams need veteran help when the postseason arrives, whether it’s the grizzled journeyman or a former MVP chasing a championship ring. Think about how immensely valuable Miguel Rojas was for the Dodgers last fall or the jolt that Aroldis Chapman gave the Rangers during their 2023 World Series run.
Just because some of the league’s premier players are battling through frustrating 2026 seasons doesn’t mean that we should entirely write them off. For this list, we’ve primarily included players whose teams are on pace to make the playoffs or challenge for a Wild Card spot. (You’ll understand the one exception to that rule when we get there.)
Let’s start off with a former MVP who some baseball fans may have forgotten still plays in the league.
Honorable mention: Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees
Stanton cracks the list as an honorable mention because, at this point, who really knows when he’ll return to the Yankees' lineup? In fact, it’s fair to say “if” rather than “when", because the story of Stanton’s Yankees tenure is his constant place on the IL. He’s been in the Bronx since 2018 and he's only played at least 120 games twice in that span. Elbow and calf injuries have limited him to 101 games since the start of last year.
But if Stanton gets healthy soon, then he’ll have plenty to prove down the stretch. The 2017 NL MVP owns 18 home runs and a .926 OPS in over 200 postseason plate appearances, and it’ll be all hands on deck, especially if Aaron Judge is limited or can’t go in the playoffs.
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Enough has been said about Raleigh’s dreadful 2026 season, both at the plate and when it comes to his lack of leadership. There aren’t many reasons for optimism at this point, as Raleigh carries a .162 average and -0.3 bWAR into Friday's series against the AL East-leading Rays. His 32.7 percent strikeout rate is his highest since his rookie year, and his 88.7 average exit velocity is his lowest.
Can Raleigh silence the doubts about him being a one-year wonder? Sure, but winning back the faith and respect of baseball fans is another conversation entirely. A ridiculous preseason feud with teammate Randy Arozarena and then blaming the World Baseball Classic for your struggles goes a long way in negatively affecting your reputation.
Freddy Peralta, Tampa Bay Rays
After an underwhelming few months with the Mets, Peralta began his Rays tenure by allowing seven runs and two homers in 3.2 innings earlier this week. That’s a wonderful first impression to leave on fans.
Tampa Bay holds a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees, with the surging Red Sox only half a game behind. Having Peralta finally resemble the pitcher who had a 2.70 ERA and placed fifth in NL Cy Young voting for the Brewers last year would certainly help the Rays win their third pennant in franchise history.
Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres
These two have the distinction of sharing a spot because their 2026 seasons are relatively similar. Machado has managed only 0.5 bWAR and a career-worst .717 OPS through nearly 500 plate appearances, though he's at least on track for his eighth 30-homer season. It’d be shocking if he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer even without a championship ring.
As for Bogaerts, his .651 OPS is his worst in over a decade, and he's on track to have a sub-.700 OPS for the second time in three years. Both are under team control through 2033, though a World Series win would be enough to finally validate their respective mega-contracts.
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age may also be catching up to Betts who, outside of Stanton, is the only MVP winner on this list — though he won't be adding a second to his trophy case anytime soon. The veteran shortstop owns a career-worst .685 OPS, and he's on pace for his fewest home runs since 2015. Betts' 7.0 percent walk rate is considerably below his 10.4 percent lifetime average, though he's kept his strikeout rate from skyrocketing; his 11.8 percent strikeout percentage is still better than his 13.3 percent career rate.
Shohei Ohtani’s knee issues and the team’s prolonged offensive slumps only increase the pressure on Betts, a four-time World Series champion and likely future Hall of Famer. Can he follow through and give the Dodgers exactly what they need?
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
By now, you know the basics about Skenes’ disappointing 2026 season, and the Pirates are now 4.5 games behind Arizona for the NL’s final Wild Card spot. But the reigning NL Cy Young winner still makes our list because he must prove that he’s not headed down the Mark Prior route of a phenom who lost his magic only a couple of seasons into his career.
The Pirates haven’t hinted that they intend to shut Skenes down early, and it’ll be a few days before his next start. Let’s see whether he still has anything left in the tank or if we’re inching closer to pressing the panic button.
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