30 MLB Stars Under Most Pressure Down the Stretch of 2025 Season
It takes a whole lot of pressure to turn a lump of coal into a diamond, but even the brightest stars of Major League Baseball are liable to crack under the pressure.
With a little more than one quarter of the 2025 regular season yet to be played, which MLB players are under the most pressure to finish with a flourish?
We've identified 30 players—five from each of the six divisions—facing a "diamond or crack?" conclusion to the season.
Forms of pressure could be faces of the sport on the postseason cut line (Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, etc), impending free agents looking to maximize their forthcoming payday (Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, etc.), players already on the offseason trade block (Sandy Alcantara, Steven Kwan, etc.), closers with the weight of the world on their shoulders (Jhoan Durán, Devin Williams, etc.) and so much more.
What they all have in common, though, is the general notion that narratives and/or paydays could turn sour if they were to slump through these remaining seven weeks.
American League East
1 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Aaron Judge, NYY
On June 12, the Yankees were 17 games above .500, leading the AL in scoring and just 1.5 games behind Detroit for the best record in the league. And they largely had Aaron Judge to thank for that, batting .392/.488/.776 while on pace for 60 home runs.
Since then, though, Judge has been something resembling mortal, batting .241/.371/.564 while the Yankees have plummeted to the brink of dropping out of the postseason picture.
Surely, Judge—with a .935 OPS and a 162-game pace of 51 HR and 111 RBI even during his "cold" spell—isn't the reason they've faded, but he's no longer single-handedly carrying them to greatness.
Because of who he is and where he plays, Judge is always in the 99th percentile of weight on his shoulders. But if he remains "less than Superman" for another seven weeks while the Yankees miss the playoffs for the second time in three years, the narratives will be spicy.
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Bo Bichette, TOR: Kyle Tucker is going to fetch the biggest payday in free agency this winter, but Bichette may well be No. 2 on that list. He has been preposterously hot as of late, batting .402 during the 26-game stretch from July 7 to August 6. Kind of feels like every multi-hit game the rest of the way adds another million dollars to his impending nine-figure payday.
Alex Bregman, BOS: Both Shane Bieber and Cody Bellinger were also considered here because of major player-option decisions on the horizon, but Bregman has the biggest of them all. He could opt out of the two years and $80M remaining on his deal with the Red Sox, but before needing to make that decision, he is the face of their quest to win the AL East.
Jarren Duran, BOS: Though they didn't trade him away amid a lot of rumblings that it could be a possibility, is Duran part of Boston's long-term plans? Or could he be on the move this winter? He has a 1.057 OPS dating back to June 29, spearheading what has been a prolonged tear for Boston.
Devin Williams, NYY: From May 7 through July 13, Williams looked like his old, Airbender self. But it has been rough sledding thus far in the second half for a closer who already has a 23.14 ERA in his postseason career. Does Williams change that narrative before hitting free agency for the first time in his career, or is he one more blown save away from losing his job again?
American League Central
2 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Steven Kwan, CLE
The Steven Kwan trade deadline saga sure was something, eh? His highly unscientific availability meter went from "pipe dream" to "decent chance he moves" to "almost certainly gone" to "staying put" in the span of what felt like a few hours.
In the end, he's still in Cleveland, helping the Guardians in their pursuit of a playoff spot that feels much more attainable now than it did 10 days ago, thanks in no small part to his five hits in the recent three-game sweep of the New York Mets.
Can he (and, more so, José Ramírez) propel this otherwise moribund offense to an unlikely spot in the postseason?
And if he hits north of .300 the rest of the way, like he did in both April and May, does that increase the likelihood that he remains with the Guardians for his two remaining years of arbitration eligibility? Or would it merely increase Cleveland's asking price for what is already a strong candidate to be the most coveted trade chip at this year's winter meetings?
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Javier Báez, DET: He was on the IL for the entirety of last year's incredible surge to the postseason, but it's kind of up to Detroit's $140M man (and wholly unexpected 2025 All-Star) to steer this team away from what would be a historic collapse if they don't resume winning more regularly. The fact that Báez hit .180/.180/.246 in July kind of flew under the national radar, but the expensive free-swinger could come under a lot of scrutiny if the Tigers—already an MLB-worst 7-16 from July 9 through August 7—keep sputtering.
Kyle Finnegan, DET: Finnegan saved 108 games over the past four-plus seasons with the Washington Nationals, but he had an ERA north of 3.50 in each year and, really, how much pressure is there in the ninth inning for a team at least 20 games below .500 in all those seasons? At the deadline, though, he went straight from a 44-64 team to a 64-46 World Series hopeful and has thus far welcomed the increase in pressure with three virtually flawless saves. Can he remain the anchor for an iffy bullpen?
Jonathan India, KCR: It's a bit premature to be trying to identify non-tender candidates, but India has played his way to the top (or bottom, perhaps?) of that list. This past winter, the Royals gave up Brady Singer to get two years' worth of India, banking on him to provide at least some lineup support for Bobby Witt Jr. Instead, he has a career-worst OPS and might be headed to free agency a year ahead of schedule.
Luis Robert Jr., CHW: Maybe there's not actually much pressure here if the White Sox have already decided they'll pick up the $20M club option for next season. But they could change their mind, especially if Robert suffers a(nother) significant injury over these final two months. And if they don't bring him back, Robert's free agency—and, frankly, the way we talk about him for the next several years—could play out similarly to how it did with Cody Bellinger.
American League West
3 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Carlos Correa, HOU
After a 2021 campaign in which he was an All-Star, a Platinum Glove recipient, the American League leader in bWAR among position players, a top-five vote-getter for AL MVP and the biggest reason Houston almost won another World Series, the Astros thanked Carlos Correa for his seven years of MLB service and wished the 2012 No. 1 overall pick the best of luck in free agency.
In their first year without him, they won 106 games and a World Series with rookie Jeremy Peña filling Correa's shoes.
But now, they've put a staggering number of eggs back in the Correa basket, reacquiring their former star and most of what was left on his $200M contract, hoping that a return to his old stomping grounds would be just what the doctor ordered to get him out of what had been a season-long funk.
So far, so good on the individual front. Correa posted a .931 OPS in his first week back with Houston and just might be the savior that stops the bleeding of what was a stretch of 15 losses in 22 games.
If he starts to struggle, though, and the Astros get overtaken by the Mariners in the AL West before a quick exit from the postseason, don't be surprised if the prodigal son becomes the scapegoat.
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Merrill Kelly, TEX: For all the speculation of marquee starting pitchers who could be available at the deadline, Kelly was arguably the most intriguing one to actually move, taking his 3.22 ERA from Arizona to Texas to join forces with Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom. If he's the third ace of that staff and they find their way into the postseason, even turning 37 this October might not be enough to keep Kelly from getting a significant contract in free agency.
Eugenio Suárez, SEA: The crown jewel of trade deadline rentals, Suárez followed in Correa's footsteps by returning to a former home. With 36 home runs already when he was traded, Suárez set an MLB record in that regard, with Mariners fans over the moon about his re-arrival. But with a .464 OPS thus far, what a cruel twist it would be if he ends up being a major reason Seattle misses the postseason.
Framber Valdez, HOU: Spencer Arrighetti didn't last four innings in his return from four months on the IL. Could be a similar story when Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. return later this month. So in addition to the pressure of pitching to keep Houston atop the AL West and pitching to increase his payday this offseason in free agency, there's some pressure on Valdez to save this bullpen by continuing to pitch deep into games on a regular basis.
TBD Rangers Closer: You can bet on darn near anything these days, but a market I'd love to see right about now is wagering on which pitcher records the final save of the season for the Texas Rangers. Whether someone locks down the job or it's a revolving door of whoever happens to be available that day, every single save chance is a high-pressure situation with Texas trying to sneak into the playoffs.
National League East
4 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Juan Soto, NYM
Signing a $765M contract comes with certain responsibilities, perhaps the foremost of which is ensuring your team doesn't go straight from the NLCS to missing the playoffs—before paying an estimated $83M tax bill on the second-highest payroll in the majors—in your first season.
To his credit, Juan Soto has improved drastically from what was a woeful start. He had a .745 OPS and eight home runs through his first 55 games, but managed a .983 OPS with 18 home runs in the next 58 contests, which is even better than his career norms.
Unfortunately, it hasn't been enough to save the Mets, who were 12 games above .500 during his slow start, but have gone 18-29 dating back to mid-June. However, he is undeniably pivotal to their success, the Mets sitting at 46-24 when Soto records at least one hit compared to 17-29 when he doesn't.
They are now, just like the Yankees, teetering on the playoff cut line as the projected No. 6 seed. And from this point forward, every hitless game in a loss will be like a dagger to the heart of Mets fans who expected Soto to be the addition that ended their nearly 40-year World Series drought.
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Sandy Alcantara, MIA: A frequently mentioned trade candidate since the moment this past offseason began, Alcantara ended up not getting dealt, his poor performance for the first four months resulting in a market where no one was willing to offer what Miami knows he's worth. He's owed $17.3M next season with a $21M club option for 2027—great value for his talent, but a steep price for his current franchise. If he stays healthy and pitches moderately well down the stretch, there's a strong chance he gets traded.
Jhoan Durán, PHI: On the one hand, Durán has maybe the most job security of any closer in the majors right now, as the Phillies went all-in to get him to address their late-inning woes. On the other hand, that means it's all up to him to become the legitimately trustworthy anchor—for a franchise that has four saves and six blown saves in 17 games over the past two postseasons.
Sean Manaea, NYM: As the highest-paid pitcher on the Mets staff, Manaea really ought to be the ace that they can lean upon in this NL East race, and ultimately their Game 1 starter in October. But...is he? The way this rotation is lined up, his next six starts figure to come against Milwaukee, Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit and Cincinnati. Time to find out one way or the other if they can bank on him in the playoffs, provided the NL's current projected No. 6 seed does get there.
Marcell Ozuna, ATL: Ozuna is an impending free agent who turns 35 this November. Had he been hitting the open market last winter after a two-year stretch with 79 home runs, 204 RBI and MVP votes in each season, he would have been very well compensated on a multi-year deal. But he hasn't been anywhere near as impressive this season and has been in a DH platoon with Atlanta's two catchers over the past month. Can he turn things around and still secure a nice bag in free agency?
National League Central
5 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Kyle Tucker, CHC
On June 28, Kyle Tucker put quite the exclamation mark on a great first half with a four-hit game against his former employer. After that 12-3 rout of Houston, the Cubs were 15 games over .500 with a soon-to-be extremely rich free agent who was in the mix for NL MVP with 17 home runs, 20 stolen bases and a .933 OPS.
In 29 games played since then, however, Tucker has one home run, three stolen bases and a .630 OPS while the Cubs have watched the Brewers zoom right past them and while talk of a possible $500M or even $600M contract in free agency has turned into much more of a "Are we sure he's worth that?" type of conversation.
To be sure, the eventual amount of that contract will be rooted much more heavily in what he has done over the past seven years than in what he manages to do (or not do) in these next seven weeks. He could continue to slump and still clear $400M with room to spare on a 10-to-12 year deal.
To some extent, though, it most definitely matters, especially if he surges to the finish line, carrying the Cubs (along with Pete Crow-Armstrong, of course) to the NL's No. 1 seed before improving what is presently a mediocre .229/.309/.376 triple slash in 64 career postseason games.
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Ke'Bryan Hayes, CIN: In what was maybe the biggest head scratcher of the trade deadline, the Reds acquired Hayes and the four-plus years left on his contract to become the light-hitting everyday third baseman for their unlikely playoff push. Though he did homer in his debut, he has a sub-.600 OPS with Cincinnati on par with what he had disappointingly given Pittsburgh since the beginning of last season.
Shota Imanaga, CHC: Not only is Imanaga on the short list of Cubs pitchers worth trusting as they battle for the division lead, but Chicago needs to decide this offseason whether it wants to lock Imanaga in through 2028 on a three-year, $57M deal or potentially set him loose with what becomes a $15M player option if the Cubs decline their end of the option. Chicago exercising the option is extremely likely, but quite a few millions hanging in the balance there.
Jacob Misiorowski, MIL: Between the Paul Skenes-like allure of each of his starts, the drama that surrounded his appointment to the NL's All-Star Game roster and the fact that Milwaukee simply doesn't have much star power/market share, Misiorowski is—just 33.1 innings into his career—already kind of the face of this franchise; the one name that many associate with the team that has the best record in baseball. Can he continue to thrive down the stretch after he returns from a shin bruise and pitch his way into starting Game 1 or 2 of the NLDS, or will the pressure be too much for the 23-year-old rookie?
Jordan Walker, STL: The Cardinals had such high hopes for their first-round pick in the 2020 draft. However, Walker has had a very Jarred Kelenic-like career arc from "top five prospect" to "might get traded after three seasons because that's less painful than continuing to play him on a regular basis." He is unofficially fighting for his job and may need to more or less maintain what has been a .339 batting average over his last 17 games played.
National League West
6 of 6
Ultimate Pressure Cooker: Robert Suarez, SDP
Save for a pair of five-run implosions back in the first half of the season, Robert Suarez has been maybe the most dominant closer in 2025. At any rate, he has four more saves (32) than the next-closest pitcher, recording the final out in more than 50 percent of San Diego's wins this season.
And yet, the Padres went out and traded for Mason Miller, prepping themselves for the near certainty that Suarez will opt out of the final two years on his contract this winter to become a free agent—while also opening Pandora's Box to a possible closer controversy if Suarez gets even a little bit shaky down the stretch.
Every result feels massive at this point, very much within striking distance of the Dodgers in the NL West, but not exactly comfortably clear of the wild card cut line. And with Suarez unavailable on Wednesday after pitching 1.2 innings on Tuesday, Miller struck out the side to tally his first save with the Dads.
Does Miller's presence push Suarez to be better than ever in advance of what could be something like a three-year, $60M contract this winter? Or will he wilt, lose his job and hit free agency as more of a soon-to-be 35-year-old question mark? And where do the Padres end up in the postseason picture as a result of the answer to those questions?
Others Who Will Be Feeling the Strain
Mookie Betts, LAD: Betts has been battling the worst slump of his career for two months at this point, his OPS for the year down to .670 after 11 consecutive years north of .800. Is this the long-term fallout from that mysterious illness he battled at the beginning of the season? The perils of becoming an everyday shortstop at 32 years old? Or a weird stretch we'll look back on with puzzled eyes when he finally flips the switch and becomes Mookie Freaking Betts again? Whatever it is, more and more people are finally noticing that it hasn't been business as usual with the Dodgers star.
Rafael Devers, SFG: Might be too late for the Giants, presently five games back in the NL wild card race. Still, where's the elite hitter who had an .878 OPS over the past seven seasons with the Red Sox? Devers was supposed to be the offensive sensation who pushed San Francisco over the top. Instead, he entered this weekend with a .715 OPS and could be another few rough weeks away from wearing out his welcome with another franchise.
Zac Gallen, ARI: Gallen entered this contract year with a career 3.29 ERA, one more good campaign away from potentially fetching a contract on par with the $210+ million deals Corbin Burnes and Max Fried signed this past winter. Instead, it has been a disastrous year for Gallen with an ERA well north of 5.00. Unless he finishes with a flourish to get his stock back up, he may well just accept a qualifying offer for one more year with Arizona.
Blake Snell, LAD: Nothing financially at stake here, as Snell is in the first year of a fully guaranteed $182M contract. But "Second Half Snell" has a reputation to uphold, especially after spending four months on the IL. Moreover, his next two starts figure to come against the San Diego Padres, whom he has not faced since leaving the team after 2023. Two gems against that former employer would be massive in the suddenly tight NL West race.
