PLAYERS TO WATCH DURING AUGUST AS THE RACES HEAT UP

With the non-waiver deadline having passed us by, many contenders will have to rely on the roster they presently possess to capture playoff berths and advance through October. Who are the 10 players who could most impact the postseason races in the month to come?

COREY DICKERSON, PITTSBURGH PIRATES: The Pirates remain on the edge of the postseason race and Dickerson's remarkable adjustment against high fastballs this year -- he was one of the worst against the pitch last season -- has transformed him back into an above-average bat with a .318/.351/.517 slash line. He has quietly been one of the best hitters in the game. Can he keep it up now that the Pirates have traded for Chris Archer to sustain their push?

COREY KLUBER, INDIANS: While the Indians are all but assured a postseason spot with 99 percent division-winning odds, according to FanGraphs, they might have the player most under the microscope down the stretch in the reigning American League Cy Young winner. Kluber had a "get shot" injected into his right knee prior to the All-Star break to treat an undisclosed issue. He has struggled mightily over the past two months as his release point and velocity have dropped, likely tied to his knee issue. He lost confidence in a signature breaking ball and his two-seamer and cutter have flattened out up in the zone.

How healthy is Kluber? That is the question. While Trevor Bauer surpassed Kluber in productivity this season, the Indians will need as many aces as possible to navigate through an AL playoff field that will be loaded with super teams.

JAMES PAXTON, SEATTLE MARINERS: The Mariners have a legit ace card in their quest for the second American League wild card with Paxton, one of the best pitchers in the majors. He has been dominant whenever he has been on the mound since the start of the 2017 season but the issue is that he keeps making trips to the disabled list. He has missed two starts before and after the All-Star break. For the Mariners to hang on to the second wild card and make their first postseason appearance since 2001, they need Paxton to be healthy.

ASDRUBAL CABRERA, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Entering play Friday, the Phillies had 45.3 percent odds to win the National League East, the best in the division. They've clearly arrived ahead of schedule but they're in this position despite a few flaws. They tried to address one of them, infield offense, with the addition of Cabrera, who arrived with a 122 wRC+ this season (107 career). It's not clear how exactly the Phillies will use the versatile Cabrera, but rookie Scott Kingery has really struggled (66 wRC+ at the time of the trade) and Cabrera could give the Phillies an upgrade there. Upgrading shortstop in Philly is one of the biggest upgrades that any contender could make.

RONALD ACUNA JR., ATLANTA BRAVES: The game's No. 1 prospect had his season put on pause in missing several weeks with a knee injury but when he has been on the field he has been as good as advertised. The five-tool 20-year-old has been 20 percent better than the league-average player and with a full second half he could help the Braves push the Phillies in the East.

COLE HAMELS, CHICAGO CUBS: The Cubs don't need the newly acquired Hamels to be great or to be his vintage self; they simply need him to upgrade one of the worst starting rotations among the contenders. The Cubs entered the weekend after acquiring Hamels, ranked 25th in WAR (3.0) among starting pitchers. There is a huge gap between the Cubs' rotation and the rest of the contenders. The Cubs have struggled mightily at developing their own arms. The Cubs are encouraged by how well Hamels has pitched on the road this season. Away from Texas he posted a 2.93 ERA road compared to a 6.41 at home with the Rangers.

ZACH BRITTON, NEW YORK YANKEES: The Yankees already have the most dominant bullpen by a number of measures and they added a third potential power lefty, a rare luxury, in acquiring Britton from the Orioles. If Britton is anywhere near his peak self, the Yankees might have a historically good bullpen, one that could help shrink the Red Sox's lead in the East, and propel the Yankees to the World Series. Last postseason, a record 46.4 percent of innings were thrown by relievers in the postseason. In that kind of competitive environment, pen depth could make all the difference.

JONATHAN LUCROY, OAKLAND ATHLETICS: The A's took a chance on Lucroy rebounding this season and to date it hasn't paid off -- he has been dreadful as behind the plate and as an offensive performer. Once one of the best two-way threats at catcher, hamstring issues and age have perhaps caught up with Lucroy. If the A's are unwilling or unable to upgrade the position, they at least need more out of Lucroy. The A's have one of the best offenses in the game despite Lucroy's ice-cold bat. If his bat warmed, the A's could rival about every lineup in the AL.

BRYCE HARPER, WASHINGTON NATIONALS: Not only is Harper playing for a contract, what he hopes is a record deal (and such a deal seemingly more unlikely by the day), but he's trying to keep the Nationals in the NL East hunt. Despite Washington's struggles and rumors of a major sell-off prior to the deadline, the Nationals have 47 percent playoff odds heading into the weekend, according to FanGraphs. Harper has a career-worst .253 BABIP despite line-drive and hard-hit rates in line with his career marks. Perhaps Harper and the Nationals simply need better luck.

CLAYTON KERSHAW, LOS ANGELES DODGERS: While the Dodgers certainly enjoyed a boost in adding this summer's biggest trade chip, Manny Machado, nothing could help the club pull away from the Diamondbacks and advance deep into October than getting Kershaw back on track. Kershaw has had his best month of the season in July, posting a 2.19 ERA over 24 innings. Still, keep an eye on his velocity, which keeps trending down. The Dodgers' fortunes will largely be determined on whether they have the best pitcher in the National League or a shell of his previous self.