This article is a part of Verducci’s View, a new weekly baseball newsletter from Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci. Every Monday, Tom empties out his notebook over email and covers MLB’s hottest topics, provides in-depth analysis through both text and video breakdowns, looks forward to what’s worth watching during the week and more. If you want to be featured in his new mailbag, please email [email protected] with any questions about MLB or his decades in the sport.
Welcome to September. It is too late for flukes. The players who began as early season surprises and who have maintained an elite level into a sixth month are legit breakout stars. Here are the 10 most improved players in MLB—and how they did it.