MLB Power Rankings: Who needs a big second half?

The Cardinals have a comfortable lead in first place, but the team could use more offensive production from catcher Yadier Molina in the second half. He has just two home runs with a .709 OPS.

The Astros could use more reliable starting pitching beyond Dallas Keuchel to maintain their spot in the standings. The club would be pleased if Collin McHugh could build off his last two starts and improve his consistency in the final three months of season.

Jordan Zimmermann was supposed to produce big numbers in a contract year, but he’s been erratic to say the least. A big second half wouldn’t just benefit the team but his negotiating power heading into free agency.

The back end of the bullpen played a large role in Kansas City’s resurgence last season. For them to get back to the World Series, the Royals need a more dominant Greg Holland.

The Pirates have a well-balanced ball club but there’s no doubt that the club expected a bit more out of Gregory Polanco, who has just three home runs with a .653 OPS.

Clayton Kershaw has yet to reach the level of consistency this season that we’ve become accustomed to, posting a 3.20 ERA through 16 starts. That’s a solid number for sure but the Dodgers need more out of their star.

The Orioles have enough offence, so the key for their division title hopes has to be the starting pitching. Ubaldo Jimenez has been a steadying force for their rotation thus far and they’ll need him to maintain that success to hang around in the AL East.

Matt Cain made his season debut on Thursday and having another reliable starter to go along with Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, and Chris Hester would be a huge boost for the defending champs.

Realistically, we could list just about any pitcher here. That’s been the big story surrounding the Blue Jays — and rightfully so — but a quiet key to a potential second half run would be if Edwin Encarnacion can maintain his June production. He has a .935 OPS over his last 22 games.

The Yankees remain very much alive in the wide-open AL East. Like Baltimore and Toronto, they need more reliable production from their starting staff, especially Masahiro Tanaka who allowed 11 earned runs over his last 10 innings.

The Cubs handed Jon Lester a mega-deal to head up the rotation. While he’s provided them with some solid innings, they certainly need him at a higher level if they’re going to push for a playoff spot this season. He’s been okay, but not great.

The Rays have the best pitching in the division, but their offence is still a bit too erratic. The team could really shore up the lineup if third baseman Evan Longoria produced more than a .766 OPS .

The Angels have an explosive offence — especially with the recent surge by Albert Pujols — but starting pitching remains a major question mark. That group could improve if Garrett Richards produces closer to his 2014 level.

Victor Martinez got a big contract after a monster 2014, yet he’s been nowhere close to the same player thus far. A second-half improvement from Martinez would go a long way for the Tigers.

Imagine how much better the Rangers would be if Adrian Beltre wasn’t on pace for his worst offensive season in quite some time. They need their slugger performing closer to his career norms to have any chance this season.

The Twins are getting by on smoke and mirrors yet still remain in a solid position. Eventually the luck will run out, so an offensive boost from Joe Mauer would be a big help. He’s hitting just .262 with a .702 OPS.

The Mets have the starting pitching to hang around the wild card race, but where’s the offence? They need a steadier dose of production from Lucas Duda, hitting just .197 over his last 91 at-bats.

Rick Porcello was brought in to be a somewhat-stabilizing force for the rotation, and his consistency has been a major issue. For Boston to climb out of the basement, they need more out of the right-handed pitcher who excelled with Detroit in 2014.

The Athletics are quietly improving thanks to improved starting pitching and more consistent offence, but the club isn’t getting enough out of high-priced DH Billy Butler. He needs to contribute more than six home runs and a .699 OPS.

The Diamondbacks don’t get enough credit. The team is producing above their talent level, but if they have any hopes of a post-season push, A.J. Pollock has to bounce back after his on-base percentage dropped nearly 70 points from May to June.

Are the Reds buyers or sellers? If they still want to compete in 2015, Cincinnati needs more consistent plate appearances from Jay Bruce, who started to come around in June after a troubling first two months of the season.

Robinson Cano has started to show signs of life, but his team desperately needs more production out of the high-priced second baseman. His 2015 numbers are a disaster.

The Indians aren’t out of it quite yet. For them to get back in the race, they need Corey Kluber performing at an ace level. His numbers have been solid in 2015, and his FIP indicates a spike in production could be coming.

The Padres thought they were getting a star in his prime when they acquired Matt Kemp, but he been a massive disappointment. San Diego needs a drastic turnaround from their centre fielder in order to get back into contention.

The Braves need Freddie Freeman to return from the disabled list and produce in the middle of the lineup. He’s growing more and more frustrated while on the DL.

The White Sox have plenty of underwhelming players this season, but the key to any second-half success will be Jose Abreu. His numbers have been good, but the club needs him to produce at an all-star level.

The Marlins don’t have any realistic chance at the post-season — especially with Giancarlo Stanton out — so the one positive the club can hope for is a strong second half from ace Jose Fernandez, who returned from Tommy John surgery this week.

Either to build some momentum for 2016 or generate some trade interest, the Rockies need Carlos Gonzalez to return to respectability. His .306 on-base percentage and .416 slugging percentage simply aren’t cutting it.

Carlos Gomez has a very affordable contract (he makes only $9 million in 2016), so the club needs their best offensive player to produce in the second half so they maximize his trade value.

The Phillies have an abysmal MLB roster so the last-place club needs their best trade chip — Cole Hamels — to maintain his production in order to FINALLY kick-start a much-needed rebuild. Good luck, Andy MacPhail.