MLB rookies embrace playoff spotlight after historic season

1. Julio Rodríguez, SEA (6.0 WAR)
2. Steven Kwan, CLE (5.5)
3. Michael Harris II, ATL (5.3)
4. Adley Rutschman, BAL (5.2)
5. Jeremy Peña, HOU (4.8)
6. Brendan Donovan, STL (4.1)

Zoom out: As a group, rookie position players had their second-best season since 1900 by both wRC+ (run creation) and WAR and there were a ton of them: 303 players made their MLB debut this season, lapping last year's record of 265, per The Ringer.

Between the lines: Here's a brief look at some notable moments and stats from rookies through the first week-plus of the postseason:

• Clutch hitting: Before Yordan Álvarez's walk-off on Tuesday, there were two clutch plate appearances by Peña and fellow rookie David Hensley. Peña came through again on Thursday.
• The J-Rod Show: Rodríguez has scored five runs in four games and hit a double and triple off Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander.
• Power display: Óscar González's 15th inning walk-off homer sent Cleveland to the ALDS, where Kwan homered off Gerrit Cole.
• Critical hold: Padres righty Robert Suárez, a 31-year-old former construction worker, has thrown four scoreless innings, including a critical hold against the Dodgers on Wednesday.