Most indispensable:
Twenty players who are crucial to their teams at midseason.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ 10 most indispensable players in each league at midseason. The official 2016 All-Star rosters were set to be announced after Sports Weekly went to press, but you’re likely going to see most of these players on the field next week in San Diego.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels: Trout won the American League MVP award in his third full season (2014) and has earned a Gold Glove in all four of them. His .999 on-base-pluss-lugging percentage at press time was a career high, and he was on pace to surpass the 100-RBI mark for the second time in his career. Trout, 24, has finished no worse than second in AL MVP voting the past four years.
Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros: Altuve was one home run away from matching his careerhigh of 15 from a year ago when he earned All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors. (For more on Altuve, see Page 8.).
Xander Bogaerts, SS, Boston Red Sox: With 111 hits, 22 doubles, nine home runs, 51 RBI and 60 runs scored halfway through the 2016 season, the 2015 Silver Slugger, 23, was on pace to surpass his personal-best marks in all of the categories.
David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox: He was striking out at a lower rate than the majority of his first 19 seasons and on pace to record his most RBI and walks in 10 years. (For more on Ortiz, see Pages 6-7.)
Chris Sale, SP, Chicago White Sox: Sale had a major league-best 14 wins and was tied for tops in the majors with three complete games (one off his career high). He has been an AllStar the past four years, and the 27-year-old left-hander ranked in the top 10 in AL Cy Young Award voting during that stretch.
Manny Machado, 3B, Baltimore Orioles: Because of a four-game suspension related to a fight with the Kansas City Royals’ Yordano Venture, Machado won’t play all 162 games this season after he was the league’s lone player to do so last year. Still, Machado, 23, led the majors in total bases (187) and ranked in the top six in doubles (29), hits (104) and batting average (.329) in 2016. The two-time Gold Glove winner has split time between third base and shortstop this season.
Josh Donaldson, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays: Donaldson, 30, has built on his 2015 AL MVP campaign with production ranking in the upper echelon of the majors this season. He was the top among position players in Wins Above Replacement (4.6) and had scored the most runs (73). His 93 hits and .410 on-base percentage led the Blue Jays.
Salvador Perez, C, Royals: Perez, 26, was on pace to at least match his career-highs in doubles (currently at 15) and home runs (12) while hitting two points above his career average at .281. He had played the most innings at catcher and had the second-highest caught stealing percentage in the American League of players who have played at least 10 games.
Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals: The three-time Gold Glove winner has transformed into one of the top first basemen in the AL. While Hosmer’s aggressive play proved crucial to last season’s World Series run, the 26-year-old was on pace for career highs in OPS (.846), batting average (.303) home runs (12) and RBI (48) this season.
Cole Hamels, SP, Texas Rangers: In his first full season in Texas, Hamels, 32, had posted a 9-2 record in 17 starts, serving as the Rangers’ ace since opening day. His ERA (2.93, compared with 3.29) and strikeout rate (8.8, compared with 8.6) were better than his career averages.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs: Rizzo has had backto-back 30-plus home run seasons and was on pace to do so again with 20 in 2016. At 26, he seems to be entering his prime. (For more on Rizzo, see Pages 4-5.)
Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals: From winning the NL rookie of the year at 19 to an MVP campaign in 2015 at 22, Harper has gotten so good so fast at hitting the ball that teams have given him the Barry Bonds treatment, evident by his six-walk game (three of them intentional) against the Cubs earlier in 2016. He led the major leagues with 14 intentional walks
Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs: After his rookie of the year performance, Bryant, 24, has provided the Cubs with a powerful bat from the No. 3 spot in the lineup. Bry- ant’s 23 homers were three off last season’s total. (For more on Bryant, see Pages 4-5.)
Noah Syndergaard, SP, New York Mets: In addition to his imposing 6-6 frame, Syndergaard, 23, has pure swing-andmiss stuff with a 99 mph fastball and a changeup and slider that touches the low- to mid-90s. He was pitching with a bone spur in his elbow.
Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: With three Cy Young Awards, one NL MVP and three strikeout crowns, there wasn’t much room for improvement heading into 2016. But despite going on the disabled list with a back injury in late June, Kershaw, 28, led the major leagues in WHIP (0.73) and ERA (1.79) to go along with a 11-2 record. His recovery is crucial to the Dodgers’ playoff hopes.
Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies: Since coming onto the scene as a rookie in 2013, Arenado has become one of the best defensive third basemen in the league. His 21 homers trailed only Bryant among National League home run hitters as Arenado, 25, has developed into a focal point of Colorado’s offense..
Jake Arrieta, SP, Cubs: While he struggled to end June, the 30-year-old right-hander is still 23-3 since the start of last August. Whenever he pitches, fans expect not just a win, but potentially a no-hitter, as he already has two in the last two seasons.
Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants: Sitting with an ERA of a little more than 2.00 in 2016, Bumgarner, 26, has his team sitting atop of the National League West standings and looking primed for another postseason run. If they get there, there’s not a much better option to have as your ace, as Bumgarner recorded lowest ERA (1.03) in postseason history for pitchers with 40-plus innings pitched during San Francisco’s 2014 run to the title. He swings a pretty good bat, too.
Jose Fernandez, SP, Miami Marlins: The 2013 NL rookie of the year is just 23 and led MLB in strikeouts per nine innings pitcher (13.1).
Kenley Jansen, RP, Dodgers: Jansen, 28, broke the Dodgers’ all-time saves record earlier in 2016 and has a career rate of 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings.