From the rise of Sonny Gray to the re-emergence of Justin Verlander, there are all sorts of reasons why non-contending clubs like the Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers should look forward to next season.
The first step in compiling this list of reasons for optimism was to figure out just which teams qualify as "contenders" and "non-contenders." Since only five clubs have been mathematically eliminated from the postseason chase, judgement calls had to be made.
The American League wild-card race presented a particular challenge because the Tigers and the Athletics are the only two teams more than seven games off the second spot. For the purpose of this list, the Tampa Bay Rays were the last team classified as a contender. The Rays are on the wrong side of .500 (69-72), but the club is also just five games out of a postseason berth.
The San Francisco Giants are also being counted as contenders. Even though the Giants are 7.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, the squad still has a four-game set left against the division leaders. Plus, as recent history has made abundantly apparent, the Giants should never be counted out until the team is mathematically done.
With those qualifications in mind, here's a look at one reason why things could be looking up in 2016 for every non-contender. As it turns out, Verlander isn't the only rebounding star who's parlayed a big second half into a spot on this list.
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