In order for MLB teams to be World Series contenders, they need significant contributions from every single player on their 25-man rosters.
Baseball is a team sport that demands that each player do what they can to ensure the success of their team. A bench player drawing a walk as a pinch-hitter in the late innings of a tight game can be just as important to a team as the slugger that wallops a three-run home run.
However, each team has a go-to player as well—that one special weapon they can rely on to help carry them through. In many cases, that one player can be critical to a team’s overall success.
Here is one player from each contending team in 2013 whose performance could make or break their team’s chances of reaching the World Series.
Note: The criteria for World Series contenders is based on the latest odds for the 12 top teams posted by Bovada.