We are roughly six weeks away from the end of the 2026 MLB regular season and the wild-card races, especially in the American League, are wilder than we’ve ever seen before. In the American League, six teams are within 2.5 games of the third wild-card berth, while in the National League there are four teams within 5.5 games of the third wild-card.We may not have a clear picture as to who will be in the playoffs until the final innings of the season. So what will separate the playoff teams from those that just miss out? As we head down the stretch, let’s take a look at players who could be X-factors for all 16 teams still in the hunt for October wild-card baseball (note: the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are separated by just two games in the AL West, so we will include both teams in this story since whoever loses out in the division race will be a factor in the wild-card race).American LeagueNew York Yankees — Aaron Judge, RFWhen Judge is in the Yankees lineup, we all rise as we witness one of the greatest players and home run hitters of this era. When he’s not in the lineup, we all sit and watch the Yankees’ offense rank among the worst in baseball. Judge needs to get healthy by September and get back to form for New York to be a World Series threat.The leadoff spot in the Red Sox’s batting order has been a black hole since Roman Anthony landed on the injured list. (Eric Canha / Imagn Images)Boston Red Sox — Roman Anthony, LFAnthony was supposed to be the Red Sox’s everyday left fielder and an impact bat. Instead, he’s played just 30 games and has had only 130 plate appearances due to a partial tear of a tendon connected to his right ring finger. He started his injury rehab assignment on Tuesday and may be reinstated from the IL as early as next week.The Red Sox are hitting better since their season-turning winning streak, but they are still a pitching-first team. If he can get back to playing at his accustomed level, Anthony could be a catalyst at the top of a Red Sox lineup that has the lowest OPS from the leadoff spot of any team this season.Minnesota Twins — Royce Lewis, 3BThe highly touted Lewis has never lived up to his high potential because of a litany of injuries. However, he’s finally healthy and he needs to show that he can be a difference-making player in a playoff race. He’s still only 27 and has shown resilience this season, bouncing back from an early-season slump and demotion to Triple A to put up his best season in terms of bWAR since 2023. A strong finish would do wonders for his career outlook and give the Twins a huge boost in the wild-card race.Houston Astros — Carlos Correa, 3BThe Astros are pleased with the progress Correa is making in his rehabilitation from the complete tear of his peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle that he suffered during batting practice in early May. They believe he could be back by mid-September, which could be a lightning bolt for the team, clubhouse and fan base. His elite leadership has always been a difference-maker, and he could be a real X-factor both at the end of the regular season and the postseason.Texas Rangers — Corey Seager, SSThe Rangers go when Seager goes. There is a reason why he’s won two World Series MVPs. He’s a big-game, big-moment player and Texas will need him to carry this team offensively the rest of the way. He’s had an injury-filled season, which has limited him to just 67 games. When Seager’s been on the field, he’s underperformed, as he’s in the middle of one of the worst seasons of his career, batting just .213 with 12 homers and 30 RBIs. The Rangers are paying him $31.5 million per year through 2031, and for that type of salary, they need him to play like the five-time All-Star he is. No one can impact their roster more than him down the stretch.The Blue Jays need Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get healthy and get back to swinging the bat like he did last season. (Mark Blinch / Getty Images)Toronto Blue Jays — Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1BGuerrero is on the 7-day concussion IL after a collision at third base in a game last week. When he returns, the Blue Jays need him to put his subpar season behind him and start raking down the stretch. Guerrero is hitting just .263 with seven homers, none of which have come at home. Last year, Guerrero hit 23 homers and was worth 4.6 bWAR. So far this season, he’s accumulated 0.9 bWAR. If the Jays are getting back to the playoffs, Guerrero has to lead them with his bat.Cleveland Guardians — Angel Genao, INF and José Ramírez, 3BIt’s hard to assign the Guardians one X-factor, so I’ll use the rookie Genao and the veteran Ramírez, both of whom could heavily influence the fate of the Guardians’ season for very different reasons.