What happened: DeRo ranked Pete Crow-Armstrong first among five hitters who took their offensive game to the next level this season. Ben Rice, Miguel Vargas, Willson Contreras and Randy Arozarena completed the five in that order.

Why it matters: Crow-Armstrong sits tied for the MLB home run lead after his 45th homer, after entering August as the NL MVP favorite over Shohei Ohtani. The late-September selection groups Rice, Vargas, Contreras and Arozarena with him as sustained offensive risers.

What to watch: The final week of the regular season decides whether Crow-Armstrong holds a share of the home run lead. The other four close their seasons with that elevated-offense tag.