Who is hero of the 2026 MLB playoffs?
To try to answer to that question, we're tabulating the cumulative win probability added figures for every player in the postseason. But we've added a twist: The deeper we get into the playoffs, the more weight the WPA carries. The division series counts double the wild-card round, then we'll double it again for the championship series and, finally, once again for the World Series.
This means that players who shine in the early rounds can still get on the leaderboard, but it's more difficult. Coming through when the championship leverage is at its highest is what becoming an October hero is all about.
Tuesday's hero: If not for the cracks that finally appeared in the Brewers' bullpen in Game 4, Cooper Pratt would have cemented his name in the pantheon of Wisconsin sports heroes with his go-ahead homer in the top of the 12th. It was his fourth hit of the game and two of the first three produced WPA figures that were among the top 10 plays of the night. The wild swings late in the game produced all sorts of double-digit HeroAXE changes and if not for Pratt, all of the Rays involved in the winning rally would have been close to taking this slot. Not for nothing: Another scoreless outing for Aaron Ashby adds to a playoff WPA total that has lapped the field.
Methodology
As mentioned above, each player's win probability added (WPA) is tracked on a per-game basis. Each round of the playoffs counts double that of the previous round. The tabulation is then converted to an AXE-style index in which 100 represents the average for all postseason players. The "Change" column looks in the changes in AXE numbers from the previous day for players who were in action. You can sort this column by clicking on it to see the day's heroes.