The top 20 playoff performers of 2025

4:20 PM UTC

From an action-packed Wild Card Series round to a thrilling seven-game World Series, the 2025 MLB postseason had no shortage of standout performers.

At the plate, on the mound and in the field, star players stepped up at crucial moments, delivering big hits or recording clutch outs to keep their teams alive throughout the playoffs.

According to MLB Network, here are the top 20 postseason performers from 2025.

1. , SP, Dodgers
Yamamoto’s efforts on the mound were a huge part of the Dodgers’ repeat as World Series champions in 2025. The right-hander threw back-to-back complete games against the Brewers (NLCS Game 2) and Blue Jays (World Series Game 2), becoming the first pitcher since 2001 to go the distance in consecutive postseason starts. After winning Game 6 of the Fall Classic, he earned the win in relief on no days’ rest in Game 7, pitching the final 2 2/3 innings of Los Angeles’ 11-inning victory. Yamamoto finished the 2025 postseason with a 1.45 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings, earning World Series MVP honors.

2. , 1B, Blue Jays
In his first postseason since signing a 14-year, $500 million extension with Toronto, Guerrero rewarded the Blue Jays handsomely. The slugger put together a fantastic October with a .397/.494/.795 slash line and eight home runs, tied for the second-most dingers in a single postseason. Guerrero homered in each of his first three playoff games, went deep in Games 4 and 5 of the World Series and ended the postseason on a 12-game hitting streak. While he couldn’t lead Toronto to its first championship since 1993, Guerrero turned in one of the best postseasons by a batter in recent memory.

3. , SP/DH, Dodgers
The two-way superstar probably could have cracked the top 20 here on the strength of just one game -- NLCS Game 4, when he pitched six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and hit three home runs to complete a sweep of the Brewers. But it wasn’t just one memorable night: Ohtani made his mark throughout the postseason, homering twice in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series and in Game 3 of the World Series and finishing the playoffs with eight dingers. He hit .265 with a 1.096 OPS and struck out 28 in 20 1/3 innings on the hill, posting a 4.43 ERA. Ohtani’s first postseason as a two-way player certainly lived up to expectations.

4. , SP, Blue Jays
Yesavage had started just three Major League games before being thrown into the fire in the postseason, but he came out standing tall. The rookie righty dazzled from the beginning, tossing 5 1/3 no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts against the Yankees in ALDS Game 2. He picked up a key win over the Mariners in Game 6 of the ALCS, then started both Game 1 and Game 5 of the World Series. Yesavage was brilliant in the latter outing, striking out 12 Dodgers across seven innings and allowing just one run. Armed with a wipeout splitter, he finished his first postseason with a 3.58 ERA and 39 K’s in 27 2/3 impressive innings.

5. , 3B, Blue Jays
Clement was perhaps the biggest breakout star of the 2025 postseason. The infielder, mostly known for his standout glove, came alive at the plate to buoy the Blue Jays all October long. Clement went a ridiculous 30-for-73 (.411) during the playoffs, recording multiple hits 10 times in just 18 games and setting the record for hits in a single postseason. Clement had nine hits, including a homer, in 11 at-bats from Games 2-4 of the ALDS, then went 12-for-31 (.387) in the World Series, recording a hit in every game of the Fall Classic and three in Game 7.

6. , OF, Blue Jays
Part of the Blue Jays’ balanced and potent offense, Barger made a significant impact during Toronto’s pennant-winning run. The left-handed power bat burst onto the scene in his debut postseason, slashing .367/.441/.583 with three home runs in 68 plate appearances. The biggest of those home runs came in the World Series, a pinch-hit, lefty-on-lefty grand slam in the sixth inning -- the first pinch-hit grand slam in Fall Classic history -- to break open Game 1. Along with Clement, Barger made the bottom of the Blue Jays’ lineup nearly as dangerous as the top.

7. , OF, Blue Jays
Springer put together an incredible bounce-back year, finishing seventh in AL MVP voting, and continued his success into the postseason. He hit .284 with an .899 OPS during the playoffs, including the Blue Jays’ biggest hit all October: a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning of ALCS Game 7. Springer showed serious resilience as well, departing Game 3 of the World Series early with right side discomfort but playing through the injury in Games 6 and 7. He went 5-for-10 in the final two games of the Fall Classic, driving in Toronto’s only run of Game 6 and recording a hit in his first three at-bats of Game 7.

8. , OF, Yankees
In 2025, Judge got a long-awaited signature postseason moment at Yankee Stadium. The superstar outfielder’s game-tying three-run homer off the left-field foul pole in Game 3 of the ALDS was the key blow in a massive Yankees comeback, forcing a Game 4 against the Blue Jays. Although New York’s season ended there, it was by no fault of Judge’s. The Yanks captain batted .500 (13-for-26) with a 1.273 OPS in seven games, recording multiple hits in all but one contest. For Judge, who came into 2025 with a career .768 OPS in the postseason, it was a welcome display of playoff dominance.

9. , 2B, Mariners
Not one but TWO home runs off one of baseball’s best pitchers. A walk-off hit in the 15th inning to win the ALDS. Two RBI singles in ALCS Game 1. A tiebreaking three-run homer in ALCS Game 2. Polanco accomplished all four feats in little more than a week, delivering in the clutch again and again as Seattle came up just one win short of its first AL pennant. Although his final postseason slash line (.208/.269/.417) wasn’t all that impressive, Polanco certainly picked his spots. His two dingers off AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in ALDS Game 2 and his game-winning single to knock out the Tigers were among the Mariners’ top postseason moments.

10. , SP, Dodgers
Starter? Multi-inning reliever? Closer? Regardless of his role, Glasnow excelled in it during the 2025 playoffs. In six appearances -- three as a starter, three out of the bullpen -- the veteran right-hander posted a 1.69 ERA, striking out 25 in 21 1/3 innings. He tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, in the clinching Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies, then later appeared as a reliever in both Games 6 and 7 of the World Series (and even earned the save in Game 6). The Dodgers won all six playoff games in which Glasnow pitched, a clear testament to his postseason importance.

11. , OF, Brewers
Chourio picked up where he left off as a rookie in 2024, when he went 5-for-11 with a multihomer game in Milwaukee’s Wild Card Series loss to the Mets. He went 3-for-3 with three RBIs in 2025 NLDS Game 1 against the Cubs, then slugged a three-run dinger in NLDS Game 2. Chourio also crushed a first-pitch leadoff dinger against Yamamoto in Game 2 of the NLCS -- his fourth postseason homer in just 10 career games, all before his 22nd birthday. He finished the 2025 playoffs batting .303 (10-for-33) with an .890 OPS, highly impressive numbers for his age and limited MLB experience.

12. , SP, Tigers
MLB’s best left-handed starter was nastier than ever from the start of the 2025 postseason, setting the tone by fanning a career-high 14 Guardians (tying a Tigers single-game playoff record) to open the AL Wild Card Series. He pitched seven innings of two-run ball with nine K’s against the Mariners in ALDS Game 2, then took the ball for the winner-take-all Game 5 in Seattle. Skubal racked up a whopping 13 K’s in six innings, punching out seven straight Mariners to set a postseason record for consecutive strikeouts. All told, Skubal’s postseason numbers were eye popping: He had a 1.74 ERA and 36 strikeouts in just 20 2/3 innings pitched.

13. , 1B, Mariners
Naylor didn’t record a hit in the first three games of the ALDS, going 0-for-13, but he got scorching hot from there. One of Seattle’s two key Trade Deadline acquisitions, along with Eugenio Suárez, Naylor delivered a three-hit performance a remarkable four times in the Mariners’ final nine playoff games. He slugged a two-run homer to extend the lead in ALCS Game 2 and went deep in losses in Games 4 and 6. By going 16-for-34 (.471) after his slow start, Naylor finished a strong postseason with a .340/.392/.574 slash line, two stolen bases and decent defense at first base.

14. , RP, Dodgers
Sasaki had precious little MLB experience as a reliever, appearing just twice out of the bullpen late in the season after a lengthy stint on the injured list. But the Japanese phenom was suited just fine for a high-leverage role in the playoffs, and the Dodgers’ relief corps badly needed it. After pitching a scoreless ninth inning in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Reds, Sasaki closed out both Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS in Philadelphia. He finished NLCS Games 3 and 4 and got key outs in Games 3 and 6 of the World Series as well. In all, Sasaki allowed just one run in 10 2/3 strong innings, good for a minuscule 0.84 postseason ERA.

15. , RP, Mariners
Muñoz’s career year carried over into the postseason, even under a heavy workload. The hard-throwing closer was called on for six outs -- tying a career-long outing from 2019 -- in the Mariners’ postseason opener, keeping the Tigers at bay in the ninth and 10th innings before Seattle fell in the 11th. He pitched in Games 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the ALDS as well as Game 1 of the ALCS, receiving little rest early in the playoffs. Muñoz allowed only two hits (both in his final outing in ALCS Game 7), did not give up a run in 8 1/3 postseason frames and picked up two saves.

16. , C, Mariners
Raleigh delivered a historic regular season for Seattle, slugging a franchise-record 60 homers and finishing second in AL MVP voting. And somehow, he was even better in the postseason. The switch-hitting backstop hit .304 (14-for-46) during the Mariners’ 12 playoff games, homering five times -- once apiece in ALDS Game 3 and ALCS Games 1, 3, 5 and 7. His game-tying eighth-inning homer in Game 5 set the stage for a grand slam from Suárez that gave the Mariners a 3-2 series lead. Raleigh’s solo shot in the fifth inning of Game 7 turned out to be for naught, but it was the capper to an incredible year all around for the talented catcher.

17. , 1B, Cubs
Busch wrapped up his NL Wild Card Series against the Padres with an insurance-producing solo dinger in the seventh inning of Game 3, then got to work from the jump in the NLDS. He pounced on the Brewers’ Freddy Peralta for a leadoff dinger in Game 1 before repeating the feat with a leadoff homer off Quinn Priester in Game 3. Busch slugged his fourth homer of the postseason in the eighth inning of NLDS Game 4 as the Cubs battled back from a 2-0 series deficit. The first baseman finished his first postseason batting .296 (8-for-27) with an OPS of 1.128.

18. , 1B, Dodgers
The 2024 World Series MVP after homering in each of the first four games of the Fall Classic, Freeman was at it again to help the Dodgers repeat as champions. He batted just .221 with a .720 OPS in the 2025 playoffs, but for the second straight year, he walked off a World Series game in extra innings with a home run -- this time Game 3, an 18-inning marathon. Freeman had multiple hits in three other games, including NLCS Game 1 in Milwaukee, when his sixth-inning dinger broke a scoreless tie. Freeman also made a key pick at first base to end Game 2 of the NLDS and secure a 2-0 series edge against the Phillies.

19. , 2B, Cubs
Hoerner, who hit .297 during the regular season, was an absolute hit machine in the playoffs. He had at least one base hit in all eight of the Cubs’ postseason games, going 13-for-31 (.419) at the plate with a home run and a .972 OPS. A Gold Glove winner for his defense at second base for the second time in his career, Hoerner helped set the table with his bat for Chicago during the playoffs. His hot hitting helped the Cubs make a run, pushing the Brewers to a decisive fifth game in the NLDS.

20. , SP, Yankees
Schlittler was masterful in his postseason debut, baffling the Red Sox in a winner-take-all AL Wild Card Series Game 3 at Yankee Stadium. The rookie tossed eight scoreless innings, struck out 12 and did not issue a walk, becoming the first pitcher to meet all three of those benchmarks in a postseason game. After completing 6 1/3 innings in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays, Schlittler finished his first postseason with a 1.26 ERA, 14 strikeouts and no walks in 14 1/3 innings.