Now with the regular season winding down, some of those players who weren't on fans' radar as potential contributors in March are poised to become major X-factors as Detroit looks to make a deep postseason run. 3 Tigers who have emerged as playoff X-factors in 2025Zach McKinstryEntering the season, Zach McKinstry was one of the most hated players on the roster, thanks in large part to a lengthy history of complete offensive ineptitude. A hot start to the season earned McKinstry an All-Star selection as an injury replacement, blowing the minds of Tigers fans who had long written him off. A summer swoon saw McKinstry struggle in July and August with an acceptable but not great .731 OPS over those two months combined. Most importantly, and the reason why McKinstry could be one of the biggest X-factors, is his versatility.