Stay Fresh: Players Each MLB Contender Needs Healthy to Make a World Series Run

No matter how finely tuned of an athlete one may be, the grind of a 162-game season takes its toll on the human body. Whether it's a sprain, a strain or something more severe, you'd be hard-pressed to find a player in baseball who isn't banged up at this point in the season.

Of course, there's no scientific formula you can use to predict when an injury may occur—and more often than not, they come at the most inopportune time. While teams have 25 players on their rosters and can call on dozens more from their minor-league systems, there's no question that injuries can quickly derail a team's season.

Looking ahead to the postseason, the health of every player on a contender's 25-man roster becomes a concern—some more than others.

Which players need to stay fresh down the stretch for their respective teams to have a chance to make a World Series run? Let's take a look.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Players With Injury Concerns: Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald, SS

With the Diamondbacks dealing shortstop Stephen Drew to the Oakland A's, they are left with the duo of Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald to man the position.

McDonald spent nearly three weeks on the disabled list in July, while Bloomquist is currently on the disabled list with back stiffness, though he is slated to return to action this weekend.

Should injuries befall the pair again, the Diamondbacks have no experienced options to man the position as they attempt to stay in contention for a playoff berth.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Wade Miley, LHP

Without rookie southpaw Wade Miley stepping up his game in 2012, we couldn't call the Diamondbacks contenders.

Miley has shown incredible control and command of his pitches, walking less than two batters per nine innings of work while keeping the ball in the park when the opposition does make contact. An All-Star in July, he leads D'Backs starters in wins, ERA and WHIP while posting a 3.0 WAR.

Atlanta Braves

Player With Injury Concerns: Andrelton Simmons, SS

It didn't take the Braves long to realize that they made a mistake naming Tyler Pastornicky the starting shortstop job out of spring training, something Andrelton Simmons proved upon his promotion to the big leagues at the beginning of June.

Simmons would post a .296/.336/.452 batting line with 11 extra-base hits (three home runs) and 15 RBI through his first 33 games of the season—until being knocked out of action with a fractured pinky finger in early July.

He has yet to be cleared to resume baseball activities and it's fair to speculate if Simmons will return to action at all in 2012. With Pastornicky and Paul Janish hitting a combined .234, the Braves' chances would be greatly enhanced by a healthy Simmons returning to action.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Craig Kimbrel, RHP

The best closer in baseball is only 24 years old—he might actually get better.

How much better remains to be seen, because really, how do you improve on a 1.20 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, or striking out nearly 16 batters per nine innings of work?

Like Mariano Rivera, the opposition is pretty much convinced of the fact that once Kimbrel enters the game, the game is over. Like the Yankees, the Braves have options to replace Kimbrel were he to miss action—Jonny Venters could slide into the role without much effort.

While it wouldn't be a season-ending blow to the team, it would certainly serve as a significant obstacle to get around as they try to make a serious run at the World Series.

Baltimore Orioles

Player With Injury Concerns: Jason Hammel, RHP

Out of action since the middle of July with a sore right knee, the return to action of 29-year-old Jason Hammel will be a welcome development for the Orioles' rotation. Whether Hammel can return to his first-half form, when he was an All-Star snub, however, remains to be seen.

The only pitcher on the staff with any postseason experience—albeit that experience consists of one game for the Rockies in 2009—a healthy, effective Hammel will only make the upstart Orioles better heading down the stretch as they look to end a 15-year-absence from postseason play—and perhaps return to the World Series.

Healthy Players Who Need to Stay That Way: Adam Jones, CF, and Matt Wieters, C

Now in his seventh season, 26-year-old Adam Jones has capitalized on his significant talent and emerged as one of the more formidable offensive forces in the American League.

The team leader in virtually every offensive category, Jones' ability to drive the ball to all fields and play gold-glove-caliber defense in the expansive center field of Camden Yards has made him an invaluable part of the Orioles' lineup.

Wieters, one of the best defensive catchers in the game today, has struggled to maintain a high batting average all season long—though he trails Jones for the team lead by just one with 62 RBI.

More importantly, Wieters has shown that he can handle any pitcher—and his contributions to the Orioles' bullpen have gone a long way toward that group being one of the three best in all of baseball.

Without Jones in the middle of their lineup and Wieters behind the plate, the Orioles have absolutely no chance of advancing in the playoffs.

Chicago White Sox

Player With Injury Concerns: Paul Konerko, 1B

Concussions are a tricky injury to evaluate and deal with, because doing so means that the player needs to be upfront and honest with the team's medical staff. When it comes to professional athletes, that's easier said than done. These are proud people who don't like to be told they can't play.

While Konerko's concussion isn't expected to have any long-term implications, the same was originally thought of Twins' first baseman Justin Morneau—and it's taken him years to get his concussion-related symptoms under control.

If their unquestioned leader is sidelined for any significant length of time, the White Sox will have serious issues going forward.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Jake Peavy, RHP

A mainstay on the disabled list for years, 31-year-old righty Jake Peavy has managed to stay healthy in 2012, and as a result, Peavy has put forth his best season since 2008.

Second on the team in wins and ERA behind reliever-turned-starter Chris Sale, 18 of Peavy's 22 starts on the season have been deemed quality outings. While you could make the argument that Sale is the ace of the staff, Peavy's veteran leadership has proved invaluable to both manager Robin Ventura and pitching-coach extraordinaire Don Cooper.

Cincinnati Reds

Player With Injury Concerns: Joey Votto, 1B

When healthy, the argument can be made that Joey Votto is the best player in the National League. You simply cannot replace that, and let's be honest—the Reds are a better team with Votto at first, Todd Frazier at third and Scott Rolen on the bench.

It was just over a week ago that the perennial MVP candidate underwent a second procedure on his balky left knee, and while the Reds have continued to thrive without him in the lineup, they'll be hard-pressed to make a deep run in the playoffs if he's watching from the sidelines.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Johnny Cueto, RHP

The biggest All-Star snub in recent memory, Johnny Cueto continues to baffle the opposition with stuff that isn't nasty—it's filthy. While other pitchers struggle to get their ERAs under four, Cueto's season high was 2.63 after allowing three earned runs to the Pirates on June 6.

Without Cueto leading the way, the Reds certainly have enough live arms to contend—Mat Latos is an ace, while Bronson Arroyo and Homer Bailey have put together solid seasons. But none of them are Cueto, and Cueto is a dominant force at the front of the Reds' rotation.

Detroit Tigers

Player With Injury Concerns: Doug Fister, RHP

Twice this season, Doug Fister has landed on the disabled list with a strain on the left side of his torso, and while he has been fine since returning to action in mid-June, the chance of reaggravating the injury certainly lies in the back of not only his mind, but the minds of his teammates, coaches and fans.

When he's healthy, Fister is an excellent No.2 starter behind perennial Cy Young Award candidate Justin Verlander. With Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and Anibal Sanchez prone to delivering poor outings every few starts, the Tigers can ill afford to lose Fister for any length of time.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Austin Jackson, CF

The table-setter atop Detroit's lineup, Jackson plays center field as well as anyone in baseball—and the fact that he's getting on base nearly 40 percent of the time doesn't hurt either. A legitimate 20-20 candidate over the course of a full season, Jackson's defense is irreplaceable in Detroit's lineup.

While the same could be said for the bats of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, Detroit has options should either of them miss time—including über-prospect Nick Castellanos, who could fill in for Cabrera at the hot corner.

They have no such luxury with Jackson in center field. His defense saves runs from being scored, and as we know, pitching and defense wins championships.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Player With Injury Concerns: Scott Downs, LHP

Scott Downs hasn't been good since signing with the Angels prior to the 2011 season; he's been great—and that includes this season, as he's pitched to a 2.97 ERA, 1.27 ERA and a team-leading 17 holds setting up Ernesto Frieri.

Dealing with a strained left shoulder since the end of July, the 36-year-old has missed some time—and the Angels have suffered greatly for it. The only other lefty in the bullpen, Hisanori Takahashi, has allowed six earned runs and eight hits over five innings of work since Downs injured himself, only strengthening the case of how important Downs is to the Angels' success.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Mike Trout, CF

Forget the AL Rookie of the Year award; that's in the bag. Not only is 21-year-old Mike Trout the frontrunner for the AL MVP award, but he very well may have taken the title of "Best Player in Baseball" away from his teammate, Albert Pujols.

After losing 14 of their first 20 games this season, the Angels inserted Trout into the lineup on April 28. It's no coincidence that since his arrival, the team has gone 54-41—and that Trout hasn't come out of the lineup since.

Without Trout leading the way, the Angels have no chance to contend for a World Series title—and that's saying a lot for a team that features Pujols and Cy Young candidate Jered Weaver.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Player With Injury Concerns: Matt Kemp, CF

Twice this season, the Dodgers have had to place their $160 million center fielder on the disabled list with hamstring injuries—injuries that cost him about two months of the season.

While he's been healthy since returning to action on July 13, he needs to stay that way—and hamstring injuries fall into the category of a nagging injury that often doesn't fully go away until after the season.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Clayton Kershaw, LHP

Kershaw is not only the Dodgers' ace, but the unquestioned leader of the rotation. Unable to add Ryan Dempster or Zach Greinke to the mix at the trade deadline, if Kershaw goes down, the Dodgers would find themselves in serious trouble, with veteran Chris Capuano being asked to assume the role of ace—something that he's not cut out for.

New York Yankees

Players With Injury Concerns: Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia, LHPs

It's never a good thing when your top-two starting pitchers wind up on the disabled list, but that's exactly what's happened in the Bronx. While Sabathia expects to return to action on Friday, as he's recovered from a sore left elbow, Pettitte's return from a fractured left ankle is less certain.

While a one-two punch of Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda may be more than enough for the Yankees in the postseason, the veteran Pettitte only increases their odds of making a return to the World Series.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Derek Jeter, SS

The captain of the team and the face of the organization for nearly 20 years, Derek Jeter remains among the more productive offensive players in baseball, even at the age of 38.

Unquestionably the heart and soul of the team, while a replacement may actually be a slight upgrade defensively, there is no replacing what Jeter brings to the table game in and game out—and losing him would be a devastating blow to the Yankees' postseason aspirations.

Oakland Athletics

Player With Injury Concerns: Brandon Inge, 3B

Thought to be washed up and over the hill when the A's acquired him from the Tigers, 35-year-old Brandon Inge has been the best option out of a weak group at third base for the A's this season.

On the disabled list with a strained shoulder, the team has trotted prospect Josh Donaldson out in Inge's place only to see Donaldson—and anyone else the team has tried to use at the hot corner—make Inge's .224/.285/.384 batting line on the season look MVP-worthy.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Yoenis Cespedes, CF

While Josh Reddick, who carried the A's offense in the first half of the season continues to struggle, Cuban import Yoenis Cespedes is proving that he was worth every penny the A's spent to sign him.

Since the All-Star break, Cespedes has posted a .369/.426/.559 batting line and been the catalyst for the A's' offense. Without him in the middle of their lineup, the A's' playoff chances go right out the window.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Player With Injury Concerns: Neil Walker, 2B

Dealing with a dislocated finger on his right hand, the Pirates need a healthy Neil Walker in the lineup if they have any chance of ending 20 years of ineptitude and reaching the playoffs.

One of the more underrated players in baseball, Walker's excellent offensive production (.289/.352/.450 with 14 home runs and 68 RBI), coupled with an above-average glove in the field, make him the second most important position player on the team.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Andrew McCutchen, CF

The favorite to take home NL MVP honors this season, it goes without saying that Andrew McCutchen is the most important player on the Pirates' roster—and keeping him healthy is priority No. 1.

Without McCutchen in the middle of the lineup, the Pirates would be enjoying their 21st consecutive season without any playoff baseball. Instead, they remain in the hunt not only for a wild-card berth, but for the NL Central title as well.

San Francisco Giants

Player With Injury Concerns: Pablo Sandoval, 3B

On the disabled list twice this year already, Pablo Sandoval needs to remain healthy and on the field for the Giants to fend off the Dodgers in the race for the NL West title—especially in the wake of Melky Cabrera's suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Sandoval's production in the middle of the Giants' lineup and his ability to get on base in front of Buster Posey and Hunter Pence cannot be undervalued.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Madison Bumgarner, LHP

While Barry Zito is having a solid season, Bumgarner is unquestionably the best southpaw that the Giants can send out to the mound every fifth day.

The team leader in wins and strikeouts, Bumgarner is having just as good a season as his rotation mate, Matt Cain—and he's just as important to the Giants' success thus far and going forward.

St. Louis Cardinals

Player With Injury Concerns: Yadier Molina, C

The best catcher in baseball, Molina is dealing with some lower-back stiffness. While neither Molina or the team believes it's anything to be overly concerned with, the pounding that catchers put on their body every game certainly doesn't lend itself to allowing the back to heal.

His game-calling acumen and ability to handle any pitcher the Cardinals throw out on the mound, coupled with his significant offensive production, make Molina the most important position player the Cardinals have—and the one they can least afford to lose for any length of time.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: David Freese, 3B

The hero of the 2011 World Series, David Freese has worked incredibly hard to shed himself of the "injury-prone" label that was rightly stuck to him for the first three seasons of his career.

He has not only eclipsed the 100-games-played mark for the first time in his career in 2012, but set new career highs in every offensive category. While the Cardinals have options should Freese be sidelined (Matt Carpenter can play both corner infield spots), his experience from last year's World Series cannot be replaced, and it's something that Freese will likely draw upon as the Cardinals try to defend their title.

Tampa Bay Rays

Player With Injury Concerns: Evan Longoria, 3B

Recently returning to action from a torn hamstring, there is little doubt that Longoria is the wheel that makes the Rays' offense go.

Before his return on Aug. 7, Tampa was mired in a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings and had gone from first place in the AL East to the fringe of playoff contention, posting a 41-44 record in his absence.

Since his return, the Rays have gone 10-3 and not only sit in excellent shape to clinch a wild-card berth, but are back in contention for the AL East title as well. Should his hamstring get tweaked again, the Rays' playoff hopes will disappear.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: David Price, LHP

A contender for the AL Cy Young Award in 2012, Price is baseball's first 16-game winner this season—and the unquestioned leader of the Rays' rotation.

While Tampa boasts a deep pool of pitchers to choose from, Price's 2.28 ERA is a full run lower than Jeremy Hellickson, who, at 3.28, has the second-lowest ERA amongst Rays starters.

Without Price, the Rays aren't contending for anything.

Texas Rangers

Player With Injury Concerns: Josh Hamilton, CF

Josh Hamilton has battled injury and addiction throughout his career, and for the most part, neither one has reared its ugly head in 2012, putting Hamilton in the running for serious MVP consideration.

Even though he's cooled off after a sizzling start to the season that saw him hit 27 home runs before the All-Star break, Hamilton remains a vital piece of the puzzle in Texas. Concerns over Hamilton are always on the minds of the powers that be in Arlington, and rightfully so—without his presence in the middle of the lineup, the Rangers' World Series aspirations take a serious hit.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Matt Harrison, LHP

With newly acquired Ryan Dempster struggling to adjust to the American League and rookie phenom Yu Darvish seemingly running into a wall, Matt Harrison has become even more important to the Rangers' success than before.

The team leader in wins and ERA, the lefty starter has remained fairly healthy in 2012, save for some lower-back pain following a start toward the end of June. Without Harrison's contributions, the Rangers' high-powered offense would have to kick it into another gear to atone for his replacement's mistakes—a gear that they may or may not have.

Washington Nationals

Player With Injury Concerns: Ian Desmond, SS

Nursing a torn oblique muscle since the middle of July, Ian Desmond's return to the Nationals' lineup is a welcome sight.

While he's not a wiz with the glove, Desmond's bat allows him to atone for any gaffes in the field. Among the team leaders in every offensive category, his return to action—and keeping him healthy—will go a long way toward the Nationals reaching their playoff aspirations.

Healthy Player Who Needs to Stay That Way: Ryan Zimmerman, 3B

An excellent defensive third baseman, Zimmerman's ability to get on base consistently lends itself to the Nationals' success, allowing the power bats of Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse behind him to generate runs for the club.

Zimmerman battled injury in 2011 and found his way back to the disabled list early in 2012, but since returning in early May, he's been a mainstay in the middle of the Nationals' lineup. For them to continue their charge toward a division title and potentially a National League pennant, he'll need to remain there.