This year's postseason will play host to a number of big stars coming off underwhelming regular seasons.
Even though they weren’t at their best, their teams are on a path toward the playoffs anyway, giving these players a golden opportunity to rewrite their 2025 narratives under the bright lights of October.
The seven players below are among those who could become crucial pieces if they manage to flip the script on the playoff stage.
All stats below are through Friday.
Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers
While Betts has already started to turn things around at the plate, this will go down as perhaps the worst season of his illustrious career. Although it hasn’t been a total loss -- he has 20 homers with 3.4 WAR (per FanGraphs) in his first full season at shortstop -- his career-low slash stats (.260/.328/.413) underscore the struggles he has endured.
Of course, if he delivers for the Dodgers in the playoffs and wins a fourth World Series title, that’s all anyone will remember about his 2025 campaign.
Dylan Cease, SP, Padres
With free agency looming at the end of this season, Cease has added incentive to pitch well for the Padres in October. At the beginning of the year, the 29-year-old seemed likely to be the most coveted starter on the market, but that may no longer be the case now.
Although Cease is wrapping up his fifth straight 200-strikeout season, his uneven performance on the mound has tempered some of the excitement that surrounded him after his strong 2024 campaign. Inconsistency has been a recurring theme for the righty, who is on track for an ERA+ below league average for the second time in three years.
His playoff résumé (12.91 ERA in four appearances) also leaves a lot to be desired. A dominant postseason run would do a lot to bolster his free-agent stock.
Jack Flaherty, SP, Tigers
Much like Cease, Flaherty is a potential free agent whose career has been defined by inconsistency. Going back to his rookie year in 2018, Flaherty has posted four seasons with an ERA+ of 116 or higher and four seasons with an ERA+ of 93 or lower.
The 2024 campaign was one of the best of Flaherty’s career, but after struggling with the Dodgers in the playoffs (7.36 ERA in five starts), his market didn’t develop as expected and he ended up joining the Tigers on a two-year deal with an opt-out after 2025.
Having pitched to a 4.60 ERA this season, Flaherty’s performance in this year’s playoffs could determine whether or not he opts out of his deal. (He's guaranteed $20 million in '26.) It could also have an outsized impact on how far the Tigers go -- assuming they can hold off the red-hot Guardians in the AL Central -- given their rotation questions behind ace Tarik Skubal.
Jeff Hoffman, RP, Blue Jays
Hoffman has endured a rocky campaign in the first season of a three-year, $33 million free-agent deal with the Blue Jays, posting a 4.64 ERA with seven blown saves, seven losses and 15 homers allowed.
Still, Toronto has kept him in the closer role, and the 32-year-old will have a chance to reward that faith by bringing stability to the ninth inning this October.
Hoffman’s stuff remains sharp -- he ranks in the 92nd percentile in whiff rate and strikeout rate, as well as the 98th percentile in chase rate -- so there’s hope yet that he can put together an impressive postseason.
George Kirby, SP, Mariners
After missing the first eight weeks of the season with right shoulder inflammation, Kirby has dealt with his share of highs and lows since coming off the IL on May 22.
The highs? A pair of 14-strikeout gems, and a 2.83 ERA from June 3 through Aug. 12. The lows? Allowing four earned runs or more in a third of his starts en route to an overall 4.46 ERA, up from 3.43 over his first three seasons.
Kirby, though, is still expected to be part of Seattle’s rotation during the playoffs, giving him a chance to end his season on a high note (especially if he proves instrumental in helping the Mariners win their first World Series title).
Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies
Nola has had a season to forget, spending three months on the IL and posting a career-worst 6.44 ERA over 15 starts, but he could put all of that behind him with a strong October.
The Phillies’ rotation took a hit when ace Zack Wheeler was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome in August, ending his season and placing increased importance on Nola heading into the playoffs.
Christian Walker, 1B, Astros
When it became clear that third baseman Alex Bregman was unlikely to return last winter, the Astros pivoted to another right-handed corner infielder in free agency, signing Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal.
Walker produced 95 homers with an .813 OPS and 10.9 fWAR across 2022-24, making him an ideal target for an Astros club that had struggled to find reliable production at first base for several years.
Unfortunately for Houston, Walker has taken a step back on both sides of the ball in 2025, posting a .696 OPS at the plate and failing to maintain the defensive standard he set while winning a Gold Glove in each of the past three years. He’s been worth just 0.7 fWAR over 147 games. However, with Yordan Alvarez now on the shelf indefinitely due to a left ankle sprain, Walker’s bat could prove crucial for the Astros in October.