1 player each team needs at his best in the Division Series
With the Division Series set to begin on Saturday, we asked our beat reporters covering the eight remaining clubs to give us the name of one player they think needs to step up and have a big series in order for the team to advance.
This could be a lineup stalwart whose production is a main reason why the team has been successful of late, or maybe someone who has been underperforming but will need to elevate his game if the team is going to advance to the next round.
Let's get to it.
American League
Orioles: Anthony Santander, OF
Baltimore’s lineup is at its best when Santander is driving in runs from the heart of the order, something the 28-year-old outfielder/designated hitter did quite often during the regular season. He led the O’s in RBIs (95) and doubles (41) and tied for first in home runs (28). His bat also helped carry the offense through late September, slashing .319/.347/.468 with 11 RBIs over his final 11 games. In order to keep pace with the Rangers, the Orioles will likely need to score a lot of runs. And in order for them to do that, they’ll probably need Santander to deliver big hits in the first postseason series of his seven-year big league career. -- Jake Rill
Rangers: Marcus Semien, 2B
The kids have proven they’re ready as the youthful trio of Evan Carter, Josh Jung and Leody Taveras combined for a huge Wild Card Series against the Rays, but the Rangers’ offensive consistency goes through leadoff hitter Marcus Semien. With Corey Seager coming up behind him and Adolis García batting cleanup, there’s always an opportunity to put up a crooked number if Semien gets on base. He went just 1-for-9 with a walk against Tampa Bay, but cold streaks don’t typically last long for the All-Star second baseman. He hit .276/.348/.478 and played all 162 games while most of the Rangers’ lineup landed on the injured list at various points in the season. With Semien on base, good things will happen for Texas. -- Kennedi Landry
Astros: Cristian Javier, RHP
One of the Astros' top starting pitchers a year ago -- he threw six scoreless innings in Houston’s World Series no-hitter against the Phillies -- Javier wasn’t the same pitcher for much of the summer, putting a strain on Houston’s rotation. He finished this season strong, posting a 3.05 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in his final four starts, but he remains a far cry from the pitcher who went 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in his first 12 starts this year. Houston’s starting pitching isn’t what it was a year ago, so an effective Javier is paramount to its success. -- Brian McTaggart
Twins: Royce Lewis, DH
The rookie sensation has already built quite a legend in Minneapolis, and this is when he can cement it. Playing on one healthy hamstring, he just about singlehandedly muscled the Twins out of their record-long 18-game postseason losing streak with his two homers in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. Everything he’s done in his career has been tinged with magic, whether it was coming back from consecutive torn ACLs, immediately becoming the team’s best hitter or the four grand slams he hit in 20 days between August and September. This is where he can shine and become the hero Twins fans have waited for since the days of Kirby Puckett. -- Do-Hyoung Park
National League
Braves, Sean Murphy, C
Murphy was an early-season NL MVP candidate, producing a .999 OPS through the season’s first half. But the All-Star catcher totaled just eight extra-base hits with a .585 OPS over 168 plate appearances in the second half. Part of that was bad luck: His second-half slugging percentage (.275) was far below his second-half expected slugging percentage (.396). Fellow catcher Travis d’Arnaud got a lot more playing time down the stretch, but he produced a .528 OPS in 134 plate appearances during the second half. The Braves have an incredibly deep lineup, but Murphy getting back to where he was a few months ago could be exactly what this team needs to ensure a long postseason run. -- Mark Bowman
Phillies: Ranger Suárez, LHP
The Phillies have not announced their Game 1 starter, but Suárez is the favorite. He went 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 22 starts this season, but he is 1-2 with a 2.90 ERA in eight career starts against Atlanta (including one in the postseason). He allowed one run in six innings against the Braves on June 20. Suárez is critical to the Phillies’ success in the NLDS because he could mirror Braves right-hander Spencer Strider with each lined up to start Game 1 and a potential Game 4. Other than Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS, when Strider was not himself, the Phillies have not touched Strider. That means Suárez must keep the Phillies in the game to have a shot. -- Todd Zolecki
Dodgers: Will Smith, C
All the attention will be on Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, and deservedly so, but for the Dodgers to be at their best, they’re going to need Smith to be a force in the No. 3 spot behind the two superstars. Smith earned his first All-Star Game selection with a superb first half of the season, hitting 13 homers and posting an .889 OPS. In the second half, however, Smith struggled at the plate, hitting just six homers since the break with a .701 OPS. If Smith can tap into his first-half production, the Dodgers’ lineup will be tough to contain. -- Juan Toribio
D-backs: Merrill Kelly, RHP
If we were picking two players, the choices would have been Kelly and Zac Gallen because the pair is going to be huge in this series. Because of the way the off-days are scheduled, the top two Arizona pitchers are going to be able to start four games if the series goes to a Game 5. But we will go with Kelly, who needs to set the tone for the series in Game 1 while also showing that his struggles against the Dodgers (0-11 with a 5.49 ERA in his career) are a thing of the past. -- Steve Gilbert