The Most Scrutinized Player on Every MLB Roster Right Now

With the 2021 Major League Baseball season rapidly approaching its halfway point, many players have played their way into fans' and pundits' good graces while many others have simply faded into the background.Then there are the ones who are somewhere in between.We've taken a look at one player from every team who, for one reason or another, has been under heavy scrutiny throughout 2021. Others are pieces of trade bait whose value is rising or falling by the day.We'll go division by division, starting in the American League East and ending in the National League West.Baltimore Orioles: 1B Trey ManciniEarlier in the season, this spot might have belonged to Ryan Mountcastle on account of the difficulty he was having living up to last year's breakout. But the 24-year-old has been hot lately with a 1.018 OPS since May 16 and is now riding especially high after a three-homer game Saturday.After missing 2020 with colon cancer, Trey Mancini has returned to become one of baseball's greatest stories in 2021. But at least until the club can start generating some more offense for the sake of widening its plus-three run differential, it's place in the AL playoff picture is very much precarious.As for where that offense might come from, it would help a great deal if Eddie Rosario resembled the guy who hit 32 home runs just two years ago. Through 47 games, he's hitting just .230 with a career-low 78 OPS+. After breaking out as their ace in 2020, the 28-year-old is now one of baseball's worst hurlers by way of his 6.68 ERA and minus-0.5 rWAR. The Cubs have held extension talks with both Rizzo and Baez, and even reportedly offered the latter a deal worth $180 million before 2020.As he's diminished his value with an 81 OPS+ since the start of last season, Baez might be regretting turning that down. Between its MLB-low .213 average and 28th-ranked 84 OPS+, it's arguably the worst offense in the league. The biggest problem they have right now is an offense that's simply not producing, in part because veteran slugger Paul Goldschmidt just hasn't been able to get going this season.By his own admission, Goldschmidt has "cost" the Cardinals a few games as he's hit just .255 with a 110 OPS+. The Cardinals badly need him to revert to the on-base and slugging machine he was in his first 10 seasons, though that may finally be happening as he's come to life with a .916 OPS in June.Arizona Diamondbacks: CF Ketel MarteThough they were a borderline playoff contender as recently as 2019, the Diamondbacks are now the losing-est team in MLB since the start of last season. It's therefore rebuilding time in the desert, and nobody is the subject of more trade speculation than Ketel Marte.Because he's signed for cheap through as far as 2024 and is now hitting .357 with a 158 OPS+, Marte is a hugely valuable trade chip on paper.