X-factors for 7 contenders within the stretch run

But not each postseason hopeful made significant upgrades like these at this 12 months’s Trade Deadline. Instead, quite a lot of groups shall be relying extra on inside enhancements to get the place they wish to go.

With this in thoughts, listed here are the largest X-factors down the stretch for seven quiet Trade Deadline golf equipment. (All stats are via Friday.)

Braves: SP Max Fried
Deadline additions: acquired RP Brad Hand, RP Pierce Johnson and INF Nicky Lopez

That brings us to Fried, who has simply returned from the injured checklist after lacking almost three months with a left forearm pressure. Atlanta is cruising towards a sixth straight division title, however its World Series championship hopes could hinge on the lefty ace’s skill to remain wholesome. He seemed nice in his return from the IL, tossing six scoreless innings with eight Ok’s and no walks towards the red-hot Cubs on Friday.

Giants: OF Michael Conforto
Deadline strikes: acquired OF AJ Pollock and UTIL Mark Mathias

The Giants have taken management of the primary NL Wild Card spot and moved to inside three video games of the Dodgers for first place within the NL West on the energy of their pitching employees, however they want extra from an offense that has the eighth-lowest slugging proportion (.396) in baseball and ranks seventeenth in runs per recreation (4.44).

Now can be a good time for Conforto to rediscover his lacking energy stroke. Signed to a two-year, $36 million deal within the offseason after lacking all of 2022 whereas recovering from shoulder surgical procedure, Conforto had 12 homers and an .822 OPS over his first 53 video games this season however has gone deep one time in 41 video games since June 9.

Mariners: OF Teoscar Hernández
Deadline strikes: acquired RP Eduard Bazardo, 3B Josh Rojas and prospects; traded RP Paul Sewald and OF AJ Pollock

Although the Mariners traded away Sewald on the Deadline and have straddled the .500 mark for a lot of the season, they’ve gotten again within the postseason race on the heels of an 11-4 stretch since July 20. Seattle’s offense has been higher recently, however the membership continues to be tied for nineteenth on the season in OPS (.717), and never a single participant on the workforce with no less than 200 plate appearances has an OPS over .787. That consists of Hernández, who posted an .852 OPS for the Blue Jays throughout 2020-22 however has put up a .701 OPS for the M’s in 2023.

The pending free agent was concerned in some commerce hypothesis previous to the Deadline, however the Mariners ended up holding onto him. He’s homered solely as soon as over his previous 31 video games, but when he can warmth up down the stretch, it may present a major enhance to Seattle’s playoff possibilities.

Reds: 1B Joey Votto
Deadline strikes: acquired RP Sam Moll

With the third-highest rotation ERA (5.44) within the Majors, Cincinnati reportedly pursued beginning pitching assist on the Deadline, however its solely addition was Moll, a 31-year-old southpaw reliever. The Reds anticipate to get reinforcements when Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo return from the injured checklist later this month, however their playoff hopes could largely hinge on the efficiency of their lineup, which ranks fourth in runs per recreation (5.27) since Elly De La Cruz debuted on June 6.

While kids equivalent to De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer and Will Benson have made an enormous distinction for the membership this season, the Reds’ greatest X-factor down the stretch is their 39-year-old DH. Votto is barely hitting .203, however he’s gone deep 11 occasions in 36 video games since coming back from shoulder surgical procedure in late June.

Red Sox: SP Chris Sale
Deadline strikes: acquired INF Luis Urías and RP Mauricio Llovera; traded UTIL Kiké Hernández

Before happening the IL with a stress response in his left shoulder blade, Sale was beginning to appear to be his previous self, posting a 2.25 ERA with a 41-to-5 Ok/BB ratio over 36 innings within the six begins main as much as his harm.

Twins: SS Carlos Correa
Deadline strikes: acquired RP Dylan Floro; traded RP Jorge López

The first season of Correa’s six-year, $200 million take care of the Twins hasn’t gone nicely, with the shortstop posting a .220/.295/.383 slash over 99 video games — together with a .412 OPS throughout his lively 14-game dwelling run drought. His struggles are consultant of Minnesota’s offense as a complete this season, because the Twins rank twentieth within the Majors in runs per recreation.

The Twins are nonetheless in first place within the weak AL Central, however they simply misplaced Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton to the injured checklist and haven’t been capable of create a lot separation between themselves and the Guardians all 12 months. A robust end from Correa can be a giant assist.

Yankees: SP Carlos Rodón
Deadline strikes: acquired RP Keynan Middleton and RP Spencer Howard

Given the Yankees’ myriad of offensive points this season, it’d make sense to select one in every of their slumping hitters — DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Volpe and Harrison Bader come to thoughts — because the membership’s greatest X-factor. But one bat is just not going to remedy all of New York’s woes. Instead, we’re going to deal with run prevention, and with Luis Severino persevering with to battle and Domingo Germán out for the 12 months after agreeing to undergo inpatient remedy for alcohol abuse, Rodón is extra necessary than ever to the Yankees’ postseason possibilities.

The Yanks signed him to a six-year, $162 million deal within the offseason, envisioning having a dominant one-two punch of Gerrit Cole and Rodón atop their rotation. However, the All-Star lefty missed the primary three-plus months of the season because of accidents and has pitched to a 6.29 ERA over 5 begins with the Bronx Bombers, one 12 months after posting a 2.88 ERA with 237 Ok’s over 178 innings for the Giants. If the San Francisco model of Rodón can present up down the stretch, the Yanks would possibly nonetheless have an opportunity to achieve the playoffs, offensive issues or not.