Before last year’s playoffs, Madison Bumgarner was probably regarded by most baseball fans as a pretty good pitcher, just a notch or two below the best in the game. One ridiculous October later and he was a household name, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated and selling underwear on The Tonight Show.
The Postseason can do that for a player: take a guy who’s already highly regarded in baseball circles and blow him up into the mainstream. Even casual fans who only glance at baseball in the fall know who Madison Bumgarner is.
Which players, then, could do the same thing this year? Could an established star take the next step into superstardom, or could a lesser-known player make huge waves? Let’s take a look at which players from each playoff team stand the best chance of taking the leap this October.
David Price, Blue Jays: If anyone can come close to replicate what Bumgarner did last year, it might be Price. The best pitcher on the Jays staff, Price put together an impressive regular season and looks to be on a roll heading into free agency. His Postseason record has been hit or miss, though; mostly miss, with a 4.50 career Postseason ERA to go along with a 1-5 record. But Price is a better pitcher now than he was then, arguably the most dominant starter in the American League at the top of his game. It’s easy to picture him going on an unstoppable roll.
Lorenzo Cain, Royals: An MVP candidate this year, Cain finally put all of his impressive tools together and showed he’s one of the best all-around players in baseball. A strong Postseason could vault him into superstar status, and Cain is the kind of player who can take over a series and push his team to victory. He can do it with his offense – Cain hit .333/.388/.417 during last year’s playoff run – and he can do it with his defense by chasing down nearly anything that comes his way in center field.
Adrian Beltre, Rangers: He’s already built a solid case for Hall of Fame induction, but if Beltre is lacking anything on his resume it’s a dominant Postseason run. Beltre has been to one World Series and hit well, but his overall Postseason line of .253/.281/.473 doesn’t look all that shiny. A huge October could change that, and in spite of the fact that Beltre isn’t the hitter he once was he’s still dangerous at the plate. Coupled with his always impressive defense, and the tools are there for him to take over the playoffs. It could provide the defining moment of his already amazing career.
PHOENIX, AZ – OCTOBER 02: Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Houston Astros throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a MLB game at Chase Field on October 2, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
Dallas Keuchel, Astros: Actually, Keuchel may have a better shot than Price at replicating the Bumgarner formula: pitch his team to a Wild Card victory, then go lights-out the rest of the way and carry your underdog team to a World Series victory. With all due respect to Collin McHugh, Keuchel is likely the only pitcher on the Astros that opposing teams truly fear. And he’s the one pitcher who could turn a series around on a dime in his team’s favor.
Greg Bird, Yankees: Nothing makes a player a legend quite like a big postseason run in New York. Bird made a splash after Mark Teixeira went down, posting an .871 OPS in just 46 games while slugging 11 home runs. A playoff tear would etch Bird’s name in Yankee lore, especially if it pushes them to another World Series appearance. And it’s a given that the national media would love a story about a hero Yankee rookie in the playoffs, so Bird could explode if everything breaks his way.
Jacob deGrom, Mets: Matt Harvey gets the headlines, but deGrom could be the pitcher who puts the Mets over the top. He’s been their most consistent starter this year and he could really make a name for himself with a strong Postseason. The “New York hero” thing applies to the Mets, too. Harvey is already a star; for the more unassuming deGrom, a strong Postseason run and a ring could push him into that territory.
Jason Heyward, Cardinals: Always seemingly on the brink of superstardom, Heyward had arguably his best all-around year just as he’s about to hit free agency. He could really cement his superstar status with a huge playoff performance and guarantee himself an even bigger paycheck once the winter rolls around. Heyward has always been something of a mystery, lauded for attributes that don’t always jump out to the casual fan. All of his talents on display on the game’s biggest stage would show everyone why Heyward is considered one of the best in the game.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – SEPTEMBER 29: Corey Seager #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an rbi single scoring Adrian Gonzalez #23 against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the eighth inning at AT&T Park on September 29, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Corey Seager, Dodgers: He already looks like the second coming of A-Rod. If the Dodgers’ impressive rookie can show he can handle the bright lights and big stage of the playoffs, he’ll reach another level of hype that most rookies never see. It’s easy to forget that Seager has only played 27 games, considering how comfortable he’s looked. And on a team where he plays in the shadows of established superstars, Seager may be the one to truly break out this October. He possesses all the tools in the world to do it.
Jake Arrieta, Cubs: What can you say about the season he had? Arrieta was simply ridiculous, posting video game numbers in the second half and pushing the Cubs to the Wild Card game. He’s another one that could follow the Bumgarner path, and it’s not all that difficult to imagine him besting even Bumgarner’s numbers from last year with the way he’s pitched. Arrieta’s breakout year made him a star in the baseball world; dominating the rest of the league and leading the Cubs to a World Series win would take him to the stratosphere.
Gerrit Cole, Pirates: Arrieta’s opponent in the Wild Card game could make his own claim to fame by both beating the seemingly unbeatable Cubs ace and leading the Pirates back to the World Series for the first time in a long time. Cole is quietly one of the best pitchers in baseball, since the Pirates don’t get a lot of national press. He was dominant this year and it’s no stretch to picture him carrying that over into October.
