MLB Postseason: Which player would each team go to in final at-bat?
Every MLB team faces the situation in which it’s down to the final out. Who would get the call if the manager could send any player they wished to the dish?
New York Yankees – Brett Gardner
Aaron Judge garnered all the attention throughout the season, mashing more than 50 home runs and working his way into the MVP conversation.
Didi Gregorious stole the show against Cleveland. New York wouldn’t be in the ALCS without the shortstop’s contributions. In six games between the ALDS and Wild Card Game, the replacement for Derek Jeter cracked three bombs, including two against AL Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber.
But Brett Gardner proved he can be trusted when the game is on the line. Not only does the outfielder boast the best batting average of any Yankee this postseason, he also pieced together the best at-bat seen in any division series this year.
The bald brother has always been known for his speed, but he added power to his repertoire this season. He smacked 21 homers this season while hitting .264. He also led the team in swiped bags with 23.
Judge, Gregorious and Bird have all had big hits this postseason, but they’ve lacked contact in October. Judge also leads the team in strikeouts in the playoffs with 17. He did lead the league in strikeouts this year as well.
Against some of the best relievers in the league, it would be down to Gregorius and Gardner. And considering that Gardner has been in primetime positions before and succeeded, he would be Joe Girardi’s guy if it came down to one at-bat.
He could also be a threat on the bases, which could fluster an opponent – as long as they don’t pull a Jose Lobaton.
Houston Astros – Jose Altuve
He’s likely going to win the American League MVP. He’s been arguably the most consistent hitter in the league for the past four years. And he’s about 5 foot 6 inches tall.
But Jose Altuve was born to hit the ball and be a critical piece in the Astros’ powerful lineup.
The second baseman owns the best playoff average on the club at .579 and he’s smacked three home runs, though they were all in the first game. Still, manager A.J. Hinch slots his miniature-sized maniac of a hitter near the top of the order, and pitchers still haven’t figured him out.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Altuve’s hitting potential is his power. He finished the year ranked first on the team in OPS and eighth in the league overall. He crushed 24 home runs on the year and added 32 stolen bases.
His on-base percentage is not as insane as that of Mike Trout or Joey Votto, but it was a more-than-respectable .410 on the season.
If Hinch is ever in need of a home run, he may have better options. George Springer led the club with 37 bombs this year, while Carlos Correa boasted the highest slugging percentage on the team.
But if Houston was down to its last few strikes and needed someone to salvage its season, Altuve would and should be the guy at the dish.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Justin Turner
Similar to New York, Los Angeles has a tall, young, free-swinging slugger in its lineup who has received much of the attention.
But Cody Bellinger wouldn’t be the guy to put up against Wade Davis, Ken Giles or Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. That honor would go to Justin Turner.
With his long red beard, the third baseman was on his way to winning the MVP award until he got hurt and hit the disabled list in May. Even though he didn’t accrue as many at-bats as other candidates, he still put up numbers to put him in the conversation.
He’s also one of the few players that finished the year with more walks than strikeouts, a feat that was only common for Joey Votto.
Turner didn’t finish in the top 10 in OPS, but he did wind up fourth in on-base percentage on the year, which is what would be deemed most important in this situation. He also contributed a walk-off hit back in July.
The Dodgers have several reliable guys that manager Dave Roberts could call on. Corey Seager and Bellinger would most likely be in the conversation, possibly even Yasiel Puig with his postseason resurgence.
But in these situations, consistency is key, so Turner should be the go-to player for Roberts and company.
Chicago Cubs – Kris Bryant
Manager Joe Maddon would have the most difficult decision of all.
Kris Bryant is a former MVP that bettered his numbers this year. Anthony Rizzo is an All-Star that led the team in home runs and boasted more walks than strikeouts this year.
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It wouldn’t be easy, but Bryant would likely be the guy to put up against the opponent’s best pitcher. While he’s had a rough postseason thus far, Bryant led the team in on-base percentage at .409 and also compiled a suitable .295 average.
The right-handed hitter is prone to strikeouts at times. He whiffed 10 times against the Nationals’ pitchers. But he’s still a feared hitter that can change the tide of a game in one at-bat.
Maddon has a slew of players with experience in big-game situations, such as Ben Zobrist. He also has Javier Baez, whose intensity could give him the edge in any at-bat when the game is on the line.
Even Willson Contreras could be in the conversation because he’s a young, talented player who has hit homers off some of the best in the game.
Next: Top five relievers of the remaining teams
But only one guy could be sent to the dish to save the team’s season. For Chicago, it would be in the hands of Bryant.