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10 most important people in 2024 MLB postseason
The MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, and this year's field may be the most wide open in recent memory.
From players to managers, here are the 10 most important people to keep an eye on in the MLB postseason.
Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
The seven-year veteran and soon-to-be National League MVP is set to make his postseason debut after a historic first season with the Dodgers, during which he founded the 50/50 club.
Despite his lack of playoff experience, Ohtani has proven he can deliver when the lights are the brightest, as evidenced by the .435/.606/.739 slash line and 1.86 ERA he posted in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Although it's highly unlikely, it'll be interesting to see whether injuries to the Dodgers rotation force the two-way sensation to return to the mound in October after undergoing elbow surgery late last season.
Outfielder Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
After putting together another MVP season, Judge — who led the majors in a plethora of categories, including home runs (58) — aims to change the narrative surrounding his postseason performance. While the Yankees have reached the American League Championship Series twice with Judge, the six-time All-Star has disappointed throughout his playoff career, slashing just .211/.310/.462 with 13 homers and 66 strikeouts in 44 games.
Even so, if Judge can perform at the level he did in the regular season, New York is well-positioned to return to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
Another player set to make his postseason debut, Witt was the catalyst behind snapping the Royals' eight-year playoff drought. The 24-year-old fully broke out this season and gave Judge a run for his money in the AL MVP race, leading the majors in hits (211) and batting average (.332) while ranking second in fWAR (10.4).
Kansas City's 11-14 record in September doesn't provide much optimism for its postseason outlook, but Witt is the type of talent capable of swinging a series.
Right-hander Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies
First baseman Bryce Harper is undoubtedly Philadelphia's most talented player, but the team will need its ace Wheeler to be in top form if it hopes to make a third consecutive deep playoff run. Wheeler, who headlines arguably the deepest rotation in the playoffs, was brilliant in the 2023 postseason, posting a 1.95 ERA with 35 strikeouts across four starts.
It's possible Wheeler's best playoff effort is yet to come, considering he led the NL in WHIP (0.96), quality starts (26), batting average (.192) and OPS (.581) during a Cy Young-caliber regular season.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
It's safe to say that Lindor has finally lived up to his $341m price tag, given that the four-time All-Star was instrumental in the Mets' remarkable turnaround. Since Lindor called a players-only meeting on May 29, New York has posted a 67-41 record, the best in the majors, with the switch hitter batting .308 with 25 home runs and 65 RBI in that span.
It's worth noting that Lindor is dealing with a back injury, but he's been stellar since returning to the lineup last week, posting a .353 batting average with two homers and five RBI.
Manager Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians
After losing 86 games in 2023, the Guardians were one of the biggest surprises of the regular season, and their rookie manager Vogt has played a key role in their success. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Vogt is just the fifth manager to lead his team to a postseason appearance within two seasons following his playing career.
Vogt pressed all the right buttons in the regular season, but how he manages a starting rotation that posted the seventh-worst ERA in the majors (4.40) will dictate the outcome of Cleveland's postseason.
Left-hander Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
The top pitcher in baseball this season, Skubal secured the first AL pitching Triple Crown since Cleveland's Shane Bieber achieved the feat in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228). The Tigers finished the regular season on a remarkable 33-11 run to clinch an improbable postseason berth.
While Detroit is on a roll entering October, Skubal needs to be the reason why it upsets the Astros since the Tigers offense still has its shortcomings, ranking 23rd among teams in OPS (.685).
Outfielder Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
Had it not been for the dominance of Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes, Merrill would be the runaway favorite for NL Rookie of the Year honors. The shortstop-turned-center fielder emerged as an important contributor for the Padres during his All-Star-worthy rookie season, slashing .292/.326/.500 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
Merrill hit six game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the eighth inning or later this season, the most in the majors, and the Padres are hoping his clutch play carries into the postseason.
Right-hander Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore acquired Burnes this past offseason to be the high-end front-line starter it sorely needed, and the former Brewer was as advertised during the regular season, finishing with a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts. However, the Orioles may need even more from Burnes to advance out of the wild-card round, as the team's rotation has seen four starters suffer season-ending injuries.
Burnes struggled in his lone 2023 postseason outing, allowing four runs in as many innings, though he's entering the playoffs with serious momentum, having posted a 1.20 ERA with 31 strikeouts in September.
Manager Aaron Boone, New York Yankees
Judge won't be the only Yankee who has plenty to prove this October. Even though Boone has the 10th-highest winning percentage among managers in MLB history (.599), the Yankees are just 14-17 in the postseason under his tutelage.
Considering this is arguably New York's best roster since Boone took over, the team might need to make a deep playoff run to ensure that the 51-year-old's club option for 2025 gets picked up.
More must-reads:
- Power rankings entering the 2024 MLB postseason
- Braves update Chris Sale’s status for postseason after being scratched
- The 'American League WAR leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Brewers' Quinn Priester tells the truth after escaping loss in comeback vs. Mets
The Milwaukee Brewers looked as though their hot stretch was going to end on Sunday, when the New York Mets jumped to a 5-0 lead. It was certainly not one of Quinn Priester’s best starts, as the right-handed hurler allowed six earned runs on 10 hits (including two home runs) while recording only two strikeouts and issuing a walk across 4 1/3 innings of work on the mound. It was an especially frustrating individual performance for Priester, considering how great he was in a previous start. Last Monday, Priester went seven innings long and gave up just an earned run on two hits in a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on the road. That was his 10th straight pitching win, and the streak appeared to be on the verge of getting broken in the Mets game. Fortunately for Priester, Milwaukee’s bats came alive just in time to secure another team victory — and keep Priester’s streak going. Priester speaks up on Brewers’ thrilling win against the Mets The Brewers managed to pull off a come-from-behind 7-6 victory, capped by a solo, walk-off home run by rookie sensation Isaac Collins. “It’s indescribable,” Priester said after giving up a season-high 11 hits (h/t Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). “They definitely made up for a lot of my miscues today, but it’s a team game. I love being a part of this team, because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to smile right now.” On the season, Priester is 11-2 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 22 appearances (17 starts). The Brewers have now won their last three series via sweeps, and they will look to keep it going with a three-game set coming up against the National League Central division cellar-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates at home.
2 Steelers first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a different look and a different feel coming into the 2025 season after bringing in Aaron Rodgers as their new starting quarterback. Poor QB play has haunted Mike Tomlin and company throughout the last few years ever since Ben Roethlisberger left his prime, and they are hoping that Rodgers helps fix that issue. While the future Hall-of-Famer is firmly cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, there are some other positions on the roster that are still up for grabs as the preseason rages on and Tomlin finalizes what his lineup for Week 1. The Steelers also brought in DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, giving Rodgers a true No. 1 option to throw the ball to. They also offloaded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a separate trade, leaving that second wide receiver spot there for the taking. The Steelers also lost Najee Harris this offseason, making Jaylen Warren the presumed featured back. However, that spot could be in jeopardy as well if the returning running back isn’t careful. Earlier in training camp, the Steelers released their first unofficial depth chart of the season. Here are two players who showed up as starters in that release that could get caught for those spots in the coming weeks. RB Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren has been splitting carries and touches with Najee Harris over the last couple of years, but with Harris gone he seemed destined to be the featured back for Tomlin and company. Not so fast. Insert former Iowa superstar Kaleb Johnson, who the Steelers drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That was maybe a bit later than many expected Johnson to be selected after his spectacular 2024 season with the Hawkeyes, but that also means there is a chance that the Steelers got a steal. It won’t be easy to take the job from Warren, who does a lot of things well and can positively impact the offense both in the running game and as a receiver. In his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Warren has amassed 2,568 yards and six touchdowns. He has great burst but also solid power in between the tackles and runs very low to the ground, making it difficult to bring him down. However, Warren’s size makes it somewhat difficult to envision him being a true workhorse back, which could open the door for Johnson to become a bellcow on early downs. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, the rookie is a much bigger back who is built to withstand the rigors of getting a lot of touches every week. That was on full display at Iowa last season, when Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the Big Ten in both categories despite playing in an offense that offered no threat through the air. If it weren’t for the spectacular season of Ashton Jeanty at Boise State, Johnson could have garnered more recognition for awards at the end of the season. Johnson looked a step slow in his preseason debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he still has the ability to become the main back on early downs for Tomlin and company before too long. WR Calvin Austin III This comes with a bit of a caveat that the Steelers list just two starting wide receivers on their depth chart along with two tight ends, which leaves room for a third wideout that could be a potential “starter” in Arthur Smith’s offense. Austin is listed as the second starter alongside DK Metcalf, but Smith could opt to go with veteran Robert Woods in certain situations and make Austin more of a third slot wide receiver. The primary reason for this is that Woods has built a reputation as one of the best run blockers in football at his position. Smith loves to run the football, and the Steelers project to have one of the highest run rates in the league this coming season. Woods doesn’t have the same juice as a receiver that he once did, but he could see the field more one early downs and in neutral situations while Smith looks to get the most he can out of his run game. Austin is also dealing with an injury during the preseason that has held him out of practice, which could hurt him in getting to 100% by the time the regular season starts. Still, Austin will be a big part of the offense when he does get healthy. He is one of the most explosive players on the team and gives the Steelers a big-play threat that can take the top off the defense at any time. Now that Pittsburgh should have its best quarterback play during Austin’s career, he could have a lot more big plays coming his way in the near future.
Celtics' ownership move should concern Lakers governor Jeanie Buss
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is supposed to remain in charge of the team for years even after the sale. Given what just happened with the Boston Celtics, it might only be months. When the Grousbeck family sold the Celtics for $6.1B in March, ESPN reported that Wyc Grousbeck would stay on as the Celtics CEO and governor through the 2027-28 season. Now, new owner Bill Chisholm will take over once the sale is final. That should concern current Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss, whose family sold a majority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers to investor Mark Walter. Buss is supposed to stay on as team governor for "at least a number of years," according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but new NBA owners haven't been keen on waiting to take control of teams recently. Mark Cuban thought he would continue running the Dallas Mavericks when he sold a controlling interest to the Adelson family in November 2023. Before the end of that season, when Dallas advanced to the NBA Finals, new team governor Patrick Dumont, the son-in-law of Miriam Adelson, was firmly in charge. General manager Nico Harrison reported directly to Dumont, which is how Luka Doncic ended up traded to the Lakers despite Cuban's objections. It might be different with the Lakers. Walter has owned a minority share in the Lakers since 2021, so he's had a working relationship with Buss. Her role as team governor may be a condition of the sale itself. With the team preparing for a long-term future with Doncic, Walter and his fellow owners might opt for continuity in the team governor role. But in general, people do not spend billions of dollars on a professional sports team so that someone else can be in charge. Buss is in charge of the Lakers now. Recent history says she won't be for long.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Thinks It Is Clear Preseason Hero Will Be Playing Elsewhere In 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers played their first preseason game of 2025 on Saturday, and the organization was able to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 31-25. The offense looked surprisingly good in the game, although it was mostly backups playing in the contest outside of the offensive line. The passing game was efficient, and both Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson looked good in the game. Logan Woodside came in at the end, but he didn't attempt a pass. The offensive player of the night was certainly Thompson, who was the fourth quarterback on the depth chart before Will Howard got hurt. Thompson is certainly on the outside looking in when it comes to the final roster, but his impressive performance during the first week of the preseason likely caught the eyes of some other teams around the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger spoke about the game on the most recent episode of Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, and he shared that he thinks the quarterback could end up elsewhere. "I don't think the Steelers are going to keep four quarterbacks," Roethlisberger said. "Let's be honest. I think he is playing himself into like a really legit chance for a backup job somewhere on a team. Which is what you want." Thompson is going to need to continue to stack good performances in the preseason, and if he does, the Steelers may have the chance to trade him before cutting down to the final roster at the end of August. It is known that the top two quarterbacks on the roster are Aaron Rodgers and Rudolph, with Howard being right behind them. Thompson will likely end up elsewhere, it just depends on how that comes about. Other teams across the league probably know that the Steelers do not have the intention to keep Thompson around for the regular season, and that could make navigating a potential trade difficult. However, if there are multiple teams that are going to be interested in Thompson's services, one might be willing to trade a Day 3 draft pick in order to get him. The Steelers would not get much in any deal surrounding Thompson, but an additional sixth or seventh round pick for the 2026 NFL Draft would not hurt. No organization would trade for Thompson based off just one good preseason performance, especially with how the rest of the quarterback's career has gone when he was with the Miami Dolphins. He has struggled when he has been asked to start in games, but maybe he has turned over a new leaf that might make him valuable as the top backup for another organization. Another strong performance or two should definitely put him on the radar of quarterback-needy teams. Steelers' Skylar Thompson Could Have A Few Potential Destinations When looking around the league and trying to figure out what teams might be interested in bringing in Thompson, it is hard to ignore a team like the New Orleans Saints. The entire quarterback room in New Orleans has limited experience with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener barely ever seeing the field. Rookie Tyler Shough is an interesting prospect, but there is no telling how he will play. The Saints may want to consider Thompson, at the very least to bring in someone who has legitimate playing experience. Another team to consider would be Thompson's former team, the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa has struggled with injuries, and neither Zach Wilson or Quinn Ewers looked great in the team's first preseason game. A reunion could be in play as Thompson has a handle on the offensive system and has a decent amount of game experience playing in Miami. Another option is the New York Jets, as Tyrod Taylor is going through an injury and the rest of the room has a lot of question marks.
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