1 key player for each team in the second half

3:16 AM UTC

The second half of the MLB season usually comes with a mission. For contenders, it's getting to the postseason. For others, it's taking stock and looking ahead to improve for next season.

In either circumstance, there are players who teams want to see contribute because they figure to be an important part of the future, one way or another. With help from MLB.com's beat writers, here's a look at one player from each team who will be key in the second half.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

AL EAST

Blue Jays: 1B

This hasn’t changed all season. If Vladdy can get back to even 75% of the hitter he was in the 2025 postseason, an entire world of possibilities opens up for the Blue Jays. If that doesn’t happen, they’d need four or five other hitters to all get hot at the same time. No player in this organization has more power to change the trajectory of the Blue Jays than Vladdy, but this wait has stretched on for nearly 100 games by now. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: SS

It’s Henderson, without a doubt. The 25-year-old star shortstop has had a challenging season thus far, hitting .224 with a .697 OPS through 96 games. His power has still been there (17 homers, which ranks second on the team), but his level of play has been down from the first three full seasons of his MLB career. Henderson may be turning things around, though, as he went 5-for-13 (.385) during last weekend’s three-game sweep of the Royals, finishing the series with a three-hit performance on Sunday. If he can keep it going, it would be a huge boost for the O’s moving forward. -- Jake Rill

Rays: LF

Simpson is not necessarily the Rays’ most important player. Their lineup is much more dependent upon Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero. It’s hard to imagine their rotation without Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Nick Martinez or, now, Griffin Jax. And their bullpen would be in trouble without Bryan Baker and Kevin Kelly. But Simpson is a wild card, the difference between their lineup being fine and being dangerous. When he’s hitting for a high average, making the defense panic and wreaking havoc on the bases, the Rays are a different team. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: OF and LHP

While a lot of the roster has come together during the 16-2 hot streak, the player the Red Sox miss most is Anthony, who hasn’t played since May 4 due to a partially torn tendon in his right hand/wrist. If Anthony can turn a corner soon and be back for the last six weeks or so, it could have a big impact on a Boston team that has relied heavily on pitching for most of the season. And as stellar as that pitching has been, the return of injured ace Crochet – even if not until September – could give Boston a big boost. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: OF

No addition the Yankees could make between now and the end of the season compares to getting Aaron Judge back healthy. The captain and three-time MVP hasn’t played since late May and the offense has sputtered for extended periods without him. Judge had his fractured right rib re-imaged during the All-Star break but he’ll need more time to heal. The best case scenario appears to be Judge returning sometime in August, but don’t rule out September. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: 3B

No surprise here. Ramírez has advanced into a hitting progression in his rehab from surgery, and it may not be long before he begins a rehab assignment. For as much as Cleveland has done well treading water without the 33-year-old, it’s anxiously awaiting his return. The Guardians’ lineup is on a higher level with the presence of its superstar third baseman in the middle of the order. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: 1B

Pasquantino’s first half was abysmal, and he’ll be the first one to tell you that. He struggled immensely not just to produce power in the middle of the lineup, but production overall, and then he dealt with a hamate injury before returning right before the break. If he can look more like his 2025 version in the second half of this year, it will give the Royals confidence in his future role. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: 2B

The Tigers’ offense looked a lot more dangerous when Torres returned from a left oblique strain on June 2, only to see him go back on the injured list with an aggravation 15 days later. His plate discipline and contact make him a natural fit at the top of the order and deepens the lineup behind him, and he gives the lineup a much-needed veteran right-handed bat against lefties. He begins a rehab assignment this week and could be back shortly after the break. -- Jason Beck

Twins: C

So much revolves around Jeffers, who is confident he’ll be himself once he gets going again after spending more than a month and a half on the injured list. But you just never know when a hitter is coming back from a wrist injury. If he can regain the All-Star-type form he showed before he got hurt, it will take an already potent offense to new heights. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: 1B

Simply put, the slugging first baseman from Japan has changed the franchise in so many positive ways. Murakami missed 35 games before the All-Star break due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, with the White Sox posting a 17-18 record in his absence. He went 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts in his return this past weekend, but the White Sox also comfortably won all three games over the A’s. His mere presence helps the lineup and gives a greater overall feeling for victory. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: 3B

Just 22 years old, Guzman has been getting an extended look at third base and has shown some flashes of his immense potential. He’s a natural shortstop but has fared well at the hot corner and has held his own at the plate. He’s batted .262/.307/.411 with four homers, four doubles and 14 RBIs in 27 games, and his development is vital to the organization. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: OF

The Astros entered Sunday with baseball’s third-worst OPS from their outfielders. The club is looking for anybody to establish themselves in left field or center field, which is where Matthews has been splitting time. Matthews has emerged as a terrific defensive outfielder with a strong arm, but the offense would look much better if he could take a step forward at the plate, especially at Daikin Park. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: 1B

Even as he was slumping before landing on the injured list, Kurtz was putting together an MVP-type season. He’s the type of young star who can carry a team on his back, and that’s exactly what the A’s will need him to do to keep their dwindling playoff hopes alive. If Kurtz’s absence prolongs, the A’s may have no choice but to become sellers. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: CF

Second-half Julio is one of the very best players in the league. Dating to his 2022 rookie season, he ranks 13th in OPS (.902) and eighth in homers (59) among qualified hitters after the All-Star break. The bigger concern is how he recovers from a concussion that sidelined him the final nine games of the first half, and how much longer he could be out. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: SS and LF

The Rangers’ two best hitters in Seager (back, concussion) and Langford (forearm, hamstring) have only played a total of 25 games together this season. That’s not exactly a recipe for success. The Rangers have treaded water well without them and have kept themselves in the thick of the AL West race, but if they want to make a true push, they need the superstars to be superstars.

“The guys that you dreamed of in Spring Training, like what it could look like altogether, we just haven't had it,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “Corey and Wyatt, together, I don't know what the percentage of games they’ve played together, but it can't be that many. That's been challenging for sure. It’s a lot of credit to the other guys that have filled in. We've been doing a really good job of just surviving -- more than survive, quite honestly -- until they get back. I think we've done an exceptional job of that.” -- Kennedi Landry

NL East

Braves: 3B

Riley looked like a perennial MVP candidate when he produced his third straight 30-homer season in 2023. But he has produced a .719 OPS while totaling 44 homers over the three years that have followed. Injuries (broken hand in 2024 and abdominal strain in 2025) have hindered him. But he’s healthy this year and still entered the break with a .618 OPS. A second-half turnaround could significantly improve Atlanta’s lineup. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: RHP and LHP

The Marlins will ride the Big 3 of Sandy Alcantara, All-Star Max Meyer and Eury Pérez in the rotation and middle-infield duo Otto Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards. Arguably most important to the club's success, however, will be the return of injured relievers Bender and King to help a strong but taxed bullpen. Bender was the club's primary setup man, while King proved to be one of the NL's most reliable lefties. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: RHP

Even in a disappointing season, McLean has flashed the type of frontline potential that made him one of the NL Rookie of the Year favorites heading into the year. Though McLean’s command of his arsenal has been suspect, he entered the break with better control and a 2.35 ERA over his last eight starts. Continued improvement from him would set the Mets on a better course heading into 2027. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: OF

Wood, 23, is the engine that powers the Nationals’ offense. He already set a franchise record for the most lead-off home runs in a single season (10) — before the All-Star Break. The 6-foot-6, two-time All-Star leads the league in runs scored (89) and walks (79), and he ranks first in the NL in on-base percentage (.410), slugging percentage (.575) and OPS (.985). Wood has the ability to change the course of a Nationals game with one swing of the bat. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: RHP , LHP or RHP ?

It’s Keller, or Alvarado, or even Kerkering. The Phillies need to see more from their late-inning relievers, if they want to avoid more crushing late-inning losses in October. Manager Don Mattingly said he feels good about his “plus” guys in the bullpen, especially if the rotation pitches well in the second half. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: RHP

The Brewers have never had a pitcher like him. Perhaps nobody has ever had a pitcher like him. And the whole case for Milwaukee as a World Series contender revolves around delivering the 24-year-old MLB leader in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponents’ average to the postseason at full strength. That’s going to require some creativity in the coming months, beginning with what’s expected to be an extended breather over the All-Star break and into the second half. It’s going to be critical that the Brewers have enough pitching around Misiorowski to manage his workload leading to October. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: SS

His defense remains Platinum Glove quality, but he has regressed offensively in each of his three full seasons in the majors. He showed improvement at the plate in June and the first part of July; if he can just get back up to a league-average hitter, he’ll be an All-Star quality player who could be the next player the team builds around. -- Will Leitch

Cubs: RHP

The Cubs entered the year with high hopes for closer Daniel Palencia, but injuries have limited the hard-throwing righty to 19 games and 16 2/3 innings so far. The bullpen has lacked a consistent end point as a result, as evidenced by 10 pitchers notching at least one save so far. Palencia was a force as the Cubs’ closer in ‘25 and then an impact, multi-inning fireman in the playoffs. He starred for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, too. Getting him healthy for the stretch run could do wonders for the ‘pen. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: OF

Before missing more than a month with fractures in his left hand, Cruz was on pace for a historic 40-homer, 60-stolen base season. Only Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani have completed the feat. In his best season yet, Cruz is expected to return from the injured list shortly after the break. With the Pirates already having a top offense in baseball, Cruz would only add fuel to the fire. -- Aiden Stepansky

Reds: OF

Cincinnati's No. 5 prospect, Rodríguez could be the next to make his big league debut at some point in the second half. The lefty slugger, who was acquired from the Mets organization for Tyler Naquin before the 2022 Trade Deadline, has 23 home runs in 89 games, including one three-homer game and three two-homer games. Rodríguez is not rated well defensively but his bat could be an exciting addition to the Reds’ lineup. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: RHP

When they re-signed Zac Gallen just after Spring Training started, the Diamondbacks were ecstatic at the reunion. Gallen, though, hasn't been able to put together full outings and recently landed on the injured list with elbow inflammation. With starters Corbin Burnes and Ryne Nelson out until September, getting Gallen healthy and pitching like his old self is a priority for the rotation. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: RF

Tucker has fallen short of the expectations that came with his four-year, $240 million contract, although he seemed to be gaining some momentum heading into the All-Star break. The Dodgers were one of the highest-scoring teams in baseball in the first half, but even so, the offensive production has been inconsistent for much of the season. Having Tucker perform closer to his capabilities in the heart of the order would considerably lengthen the lineup. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: 1B/DH

Eldridge has made it clear that he wants to develop into the face of the franchise, so his development will continue to be a key storyline coming out of the All-Star break. The 21-year-old slugger possesses game-changing power and has looked comfortable handing first base thus far, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him force his way into the conversation for National League Rookie of the Year if he puts up big numbers in the second half. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: RHP

Let’s say the Padres add a pitcher or two at the Deadline. Let’s say they close the gap in the Wild Card race and find themselves in contention. The problems in their starting rotation could disappear when Pivetta returns from his elbow injury (and Joe Musgrove after that). Then again, elbow injuries are tricky. Who knows what version of Pivetta the Padres would be getting? If they get the same pitcher as last year, it could set them up nicely for a late run (and, potentially, for a playoff series). -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: SS

After a rousing performance for World Baseball Classic champion Venezuela, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar was expected to move into the stardom that has been predicted for him. But he hasn’t found any consistency and hit the All-Star break with a -0.6 WAR per Baseball-Reference. Signed through 2030 with a club option for 2031, Tovar needs to catch fire to justify the trust that ownership has shown in him. -- Thomas Harding