Top 12 performers of the postseason (thus far)

You can be one of the best players in the world, but it’s the postseason when your brilliance has the brightest light on it, when everybody sees it. Throughout the Wild Card Series and Division Series, there have been some true standouts. Here’s a look at the 12 best performers in the playoffs -- whose teams are still alive -- so far. These guys might just be getting started.

• ALDS Game 5: Tuesday, 4 p.m. ET on TBS

• NLCS Game 1, presented by loanDepot: Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET/5 PT on FS1

1. Bryce Harper, DH, Phillies
Remember when Bryce Harper had a miserable September, when it looked like he -- Bryce Harper! -- couldn’t handle fastballs? It was a curveball from Miles Mikolas in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series that Harper launched into the St. Louis night to get going, but he’s been raking -- off fastballs and everything else -- ever since. He is one of only three players with three homers this postseason, and his OPS is 1.437 in 23 at-bats. Harper’s back, folks. Look out.

2. Yordan Alvarez, LF, Astros
Alvarez actually has only four hits this postseason. But, uh, what hits they were! The Mariners will be seeing Alvarez in their nightmares for decades -- heck, they’ll have to see him on the other side of the field for the next decade, in real life -- after what he did to them in the ALDS. Alvarez, because he’s spent so much time as a DH and is limited in left field, sometimes gets overlooked rather than people appreciating what he is: One of the best five hitters in baseball. This postseason is going a long way toward making sure he’s not overlooked for much longer.

3. Trent Grisham, CF, Padres
Considering how many superstars there are in this Padres lineup, it’s a little surprising to see teams pitching around Grisham, of all people. But it’s tough to blame them. He’s hitting .381 with three homers, which are the sort of numbers you’d expect from Manny Machado or Juan Soto. If he keeps hitting like this, the Padres may be unstoppable.

4. Aaron Nola, RHP, Phillies
The plan for the Phillies this postseason was to have Nola and Zack Wheeler be their "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain" duo, then take their chances otherwise. Wheeler has won one of his two starts and pitched well in both, but Nola has been the real star, throwing 12 2/3 innings without an earned run allowed in his two starts, both wins. He’s lined up to pitch Game 2 of the NLCS (with Wheeler throwing Game 1), which means the Phillies are absolutely putting their best feet forward.

5. Harrison Bader, CF, Yankees
It’s fair to say no Yankees fan is fretting about trading Jordan Montgomery for Bader now. The Yankees center fielder, who didn’t play for nearly two months after coming over from St. Louis in a Deadline deal, was meant primarily to stabilize the Yanks’ center-field defense. He has done that, but the revelation has been his hitting: He hit three homers in his first four postseason games, putting himself in the same postseason company with Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams.

6. Josh Hader, LHP, Padres
No one’s worried about him anymore. Hader was getting booed after his miserable start once he was acquired from Milwaukee, but he settled in down the stretch and has been absolute nails in the postseason so far. Even more valuable: He’s throwing more than one inning, something he has recently struggled with in the regular season. The Padres are leaning on him and thriving, as he has three saves, seven strikeouts, and two baserunners allowed across four postseason outings thus far.

7. Manny Machado, 3B, Padres
He might not win NL MVP this year -- though he might! -- but there’s no question he’s been the rock for this team, all season and now in the playoffs. He’s striking out often, but he’s been at the center of every rally for the Padres, a team with a lot less postseason experience than he personally has. All the while, he’s been a wizard at third base. Is this the year we finally appreciate Machado?

8. José Ramírez, 3B, Guardians
Ramírez’s power disappeared down the stretch -- a big problem for a team with as little power as the Guardians -- but he was still putting the ball in play, like the rest of his team. He has one homer so far this postseason, with the promise of more, and he’s hitting .333 for a team that has just finally started to warm up. He’s the Guardians’ superstar, and he’s playing like one.

9. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Yankees
Well, this is what the Yankees got him for. Before Game 5 of the ALDS, the Yankees played four postseason games. They won two and lost two. The two wins: Both Cole starts. He’s been fantastic in both, giving up just three runs in 13 1/3 innings. The Yankees would have been long eliminated without Cole. This is why you bring in Cole!

10. Oscar Gonzalez, OF, Guardians
Ok, so he’s technically only hitting .222 in the ALDS. But talk about a guy keeping his team alive in the postseason! Three game-winning hits, one of the most dramatic moments in Guardians history and a whole stadium signing the theme song of a children’s show. Gonzalez is what we all love about the postseason.

11. Joe Musgrove, RHP, Padres
Let’s leave his ears out of this. Musgrove was otherworldly against the Mets -- to the point that Buck Showalter literally could not believe it -- but he was nearly just as good against the Dodgers. He has given up only two runs in 13 innings and may secretly be the ace of this team. And no one appreciates what the Padres are doing more than the hometown kid.

12. Yuli Gurriel, 1B, Astros
When you have played for the Astros as long as Gurriel has, you have plenty of postseason experience. And despite a slow regular season, Gurriel has displayed the benefits of that experience, hitting .400 and putting up a 1.000 OPS in 15 plate appearances for the one team that swept its LDS. That’s all the Astros need: One of the few players who slumped through the regular season to start hitting.