The Major League Baseball regular season is nearing its end and September increases the importance of every roster spot. A weekly power-rankings feature highlights one player from each team who must improve down the stretch after uneven seasons. For playoff contenders, the spotlight falls on players who need to prove they can contribute in October; for non-contenders the focus is on players who must cement their roles for the future. Chase Dollander carries a 6.91 ERA late in his rookie season despite being viewed as a potential frontline arm. Colson Montgomery has shown a recent power surge but also many whiffs. Cade Cavalli has returned from elbow surgery and has shown potential to co-lead Washington's rotation alongside MacKenzie Gore.
As the calendar flips from the dog days of August to the heightened stakes of September, each and every roster spot carries a little more weight, particularly on teams with postseason ambitions. This week's power rankings shine a spotlight on one player from each team who needs to step up his game down the stretch, with a focus on players whose seasons have been uneven to this point, for one reason or another.
29. Chicago White Sox (48-83) Rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery 's epic power surge in recent weeks has been a thrill to watch but has also come with a boatload of whiffs. Whether Montgomery can stave off some potentially harsh swing-and-miss regression and continue to slug in September could tell us a lot about just how excited we should be about his future entering 2026.
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