4 MLB Stars Blowing It For Their Team During Playoff Run

With the MLB season winding down toward its final month, there are several teams that are fighting for their postseason lives. With races so close in both leagues, competing clubs will need to be firing on all cylinders to punch their ticket for October baseball.

There have been some high-profile hitters, however, who have chosen the worst time of the season to struggle at the dish. Whether it's a plunging batting average or a precipitous drop in power, these guys are all heading in the wrong direction with roughly 40 games to go for most MLB teams.

Here are four star hitters currently struggling at the plate for contending playoff teams.

4. Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are one of several teams fighting for a Wild Card spot in the NL, and will have to get through a gauntlet from now until October to clinch their spot. While the once cold Bryce Harper has come alive in August with eight homers, it has correlated with a cold streak from Rhys Hoskins. The lumbering first baseman is hitting just .113 in August with one homer, although his 13:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio on the month is a good indication that he isn't totally lost at the dish. Still, Hoskins needs to bring the lumber. With the rest of the Phillies lineup starting to click, including catcher J.T. Realmuto, Hoskins, who has been batting leadoff recently, must regain his power stroke.

3. Tommy Pham, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays tend to fly under the radar, but are still holding onto the second Wild Card spot in the AL. They have managed to do so with reigning AL Cy Young Blake Snell on the IL since late July, but hope to have him back in September. Tampa Bay's offense has really struggled in August, however, and a big culprit has been two-hole hitter Tommy Pham. After hitting well over .300 entering June, Pham has seen his batting average drop every month, and is currently hitting .195 in August with just four runs scored. The Rays will surely need more from one of their top hitters, who is known for being a spark plug that can rack up hits while being a threat on the base paths. Pham is a perfect 5-5 in steals since the break, despite his hitting struggles.

2. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers

For the first half of the season, the moose was on the loose, as Mike Moustakas headed into the All-Star break with 25 home runs. Since then, however, the Brewers' slugging 3B has hit just three homers in 122 at-bats, with a very uninspiring .254/.305/.410 batting line. It's uncertain what has caused the power outage, but the Brewers will need all they can get from their offense to make up for a rather pedestrian pitching staff, as far as playoff contenders are considered. Moustakas did wake up a little in Milwaukee's 15-14 extra-inning win against Washington, going 3-7 with a homer and three RBI. Hopefully it's a sign of better days to come.

1. Khris Davis, OF, Oakland Athletics

The nightmare that has been Khris Davis' 2019 season has officially bottomed out in August, as he is hitting .143 on the month with zero homers. In fact, the reigning MLB home run king from a season ago (when he hit 48 dingers) has swatted just seven jacks since May 1. If Davis isn't hitting homers at an elite rate, he simply brings very little to the table, since getting on-base and defense have never been big parts of his game. Due to his immense struggles, he has been sitting more often and hitting lower in the lineup. If the A's are going to make the playoffs this year, it's becoming increasingly evident they will have to do so with an ice-cold Davis.

FanDuel Sportsbook is now live in PA! New users get a risk free bet up to $500. Claim your offer today.