The story below is a collaboration between writers from MLB.com and Yahoo Sports, who are joining forces this season to cover topics from around baseball.
Which MLB players are the X-factors of the second half?
With the All-Star break behind us and the playoff chases heating up, we put that question to six writers (three from MLB.com and three from Yahoo Sports). Their task was to identify players with an opportunity to put their stamp on the final two-plus months of the 2024 season — not only by playing well but also by helping to push their clubs into a postseason berth or a division title … or perhaps beyond.