MLB: The 5 Worst Players in Baseball

The five worst MLB players include three very expensive first basemen, a terrible shortstop, and a pitcher allowing home runs at a historic rate.

A list of the five worst players in baseball is relative. We all know that any player in Major League Baseball is one of the best players on the planet. They have reached the pinnacle of their sport and should be commended for it. That being said, relative to the other players in the major leagues in 2016, some players have been just flat out terrible this year and have cost their teams dearly on the field and in the pocketbook.

When it comes to creating a list of the worst players in baseball, there are a few things to consider. The most important thing is production on the field. If a hitter is a black hole in the lineup, a sieve in the field, or gets knocked around the ballpark on the mound, he is actively hurting his team and making it more difficult for his team to win games.

This ties in with the second thing to consider, which is playing time. A third string catcher who gets a few at-bats a week won’t get the playing time to really hurt his team. It takes the everyday player who is having a terrible season to really torpedo a team’s chances. The final consideration is salary. A player making the minimum can be easily replaced if he plays poorly, but someone making $20 million will continue to get chance after chance to turn his season around.

This list of the worst players in baseball will be players who hurt teams in all three ways: poor play, plenty of playing time, and costly salaries. This list includes players at premier hitting positions who haven’t produced, a guy who was very good just two seasons ago, and a pitcher who can’t stop giving up dingers.

Next: The Worst Contract Ever?