MLB: Ten Most Disappointing Players in 2016

With break-out seasons come slumps. Who are the 10 most disappointing players across the league in 2016 ?

Every year in MLB, there are players who enter the season with high expectations from their respective ball club. While most fulfill or exceed these expectations, there are always players that hit an early slump or experience a down year.

This season is like no other. On his retirement tour, David Ortiz has been the definition of dominant. He is hitting .339 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI. Clayton Kershaw, Jake Arrieta, Madison Bumgarner, and Noah Syndergaard have all been aces of their respective team’s rotation, all boasting an ERA under 2.00.

With ups, comes downs. Though Matt Harvey has been great in three of his last four appearances, he has not been the ace of the young New York Mets rotation like expected. In 2016, he is 4-9 with a 4.76 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a career-low 0.01 WAR.

After finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting and making his first All-Star appearance in 2015, Chris Archer has an ERA of 4.60 and WHIP of 1.44 – both career-lows.

On the hitting side of things, catchers Russell Martin and Brian McCann have struggled, hitting .216 and .219 respectively. McCann has 10 home runs to Martin’s five, but both players have underperformed significantly.

While these players are experiencing down seasons, they are not among the most disappointing players in the majors.

Next: Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions:

Justin Upton – OF – Detroit Tigers: In free agency last season, Justin Upton signed a six-year deal worth $132.75 M with the Detroit Tigers. Early in his career, Upton was hitting for average and power. However, since joining the Tigers, Upton has struggled in both.

Through 66 games, Upton is hitting .238 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. He has just four stolen bases after stealing 19 in 2015.

His stats have taken a jump in the past week, as he has four home runs and eight RBI in the past five games. However, to date, he has been one of the more disappointing additions for the Tigers, who expect a playoff run this season.

Clay Buchholz – SP – Boston Red Sox: The former ace of the Boston rotation found himself struggling early in the season. So much so, that he was demoted from the rotation after 10 starts. Since pitching out of the bullpen, Clay Buchholz has given up just three runs over 9.1 innings.

On the year, Buchholz has an ERA of 5.83 and a WHIP of 1.41. He is even sporting a career-low K/BB ratio (1.58).

The Red Sox gave Buchholz another chance to start because of his solid performance as a reliever. Against the Chicago White Sox, Buchholz pitched five innings of three run ball, surrendering four hits and one walk while striking out five.

Carlos Gomez – OF – Houston Astros: Though landing on the disabled list in early May, Carlos Gomez has not been able to put together a solid season for the Houston Astros.

Consistently near the 20-30 threshold every season since 2012 (other than 2015), Gomez is on-pace to fall significantly short. In 51 games, he is hitting .220 with three home runs and eight stolen bases.

Gomez has been hitting well as of late, as his average was near the Mendoza line for most of the season. Over his last eight games, he is 13-for-34 with a home run and two stolen bases. If he can keep this up, a turnaround is in store for the 30-year-old. But, for now, he has been one of the more disappointing players this season.

Travis d’Arnaud – C – New York Mets: Out since April 25, Travis d’Arnaud finally returned from the disabled list Tuesday. He has just played in 14 games in 2016, hitting .184 with no home runs and just a single RBI.

Though injury is a harsh reason to label a player as a disappointment, d’Arnaud has been out for a crucial amount of time – especially considering that the Mets’ hitting ranks among the worst in the majors.

Next: All power, no average

10. Todd Frazier – 3B –  Chicago White Sox

This is an interesting case. When Todd Frazier is hitting the ball, it is being hit hard and usually ends up a home run. However, the problem is making contact with the ball.

Frazier has 20 home runs on the year, which is already more than his totals at the end of both the 2012 and 2013 season. He is on-pace to beat his career high of 35 home runs – by over a handful.

The 30-year-old is hitting an abysmal .200. He has just five doubles, 38 less than his 2015 totals and 17 less in 2014. Frazier’s BABIP is also at an abysmal .183, oddly lower than his average on the year.

Other than his average, Frazier’s power is at the same level as his previous years. His ISO is at a career-best .255. Though his slugging percentage is lower than usual, but still at a respectable .455.

Frazier is in the midst of a large slump, and the numbers point towards a second-half burst. If the two-time All-Star is able to increase his average, Frazier could put together a great season.

However, for now, Frazier has been a disappointment for his new team. Chicago was once atop of the American League Central, but the team has been struggling as of late. They now sit fourth in their division, 5.5 games behind the Cleveland Indians.

If Frazier and the other struggling Chicago players can get out of their slump, they could put together a playoff run in 2016.

Next: The Big Bat in Miami

9. Giancarlo Stanton – OF – Miami Marlins

Arguably one of the most powerful hitters in baseball, Giancarlo Stanton has started the 2016 season struggling. While his power is still prevalent (though it has dropped), Stanton has not been able to get on base often.

The three-time All-Star has hit 13 home runs over 60 games. He is hitting an abysmal .211 with just 32 RBI and an OPS+ of 100.

To put his struggles into perspective, last season, in just 14 more games, Stanton hit .265 with 27 home runs, 67 RBI and an OPS+ of 158.

When looking at advanced statistics, Stanton’s ISO (isolated power) sticks out as a reason behind his struggles. In 2016, he is sporting a career-low of .216. The previous year, he was at an incredible .341. Throughout his career, he sports a .272 ISO.

His power has dropped over the past year, as well as his ability to make contact with the ball. He is striking out over 33 percent of the time, and that doesn’t even account for all his other outs.

There is room for a turnaround, as his BABIP is at .273, which means it is 0.51 lower than his career average. He is bound to see an increase in average and with that, an increase in power.

Next: Toronto's Ace

8. Marcus Stroman – SP – Toronto Blue Jays

Marcus Stroman was expected to be one of the aces in Toronto’s rotation entering the 2015 season. However, in March, Stroman tore his ACL trying to cover first base during fielding practice.

He was expected to miss the season, but made a return in September, going 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. In 2016, Stroman entered the season as the team’s No. 1 starter.

But, he has not pitched like the ace of the Blue Jays. Over 15 starts, Stroman has a 5.23 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP, both career worsts. He has given up the most hits (106) and earned runs (56) among all pitchers. Not only that, but his K/BB ratio is down to 2.48.

While Stroman has been able to post a 6-3 record, there is much-needed improvement from the Blue Jays’ ace.

Toronto is 39-34 and sit 2.5 games out of the American League East and a half game behind the Kansas City Royals for the second Wild Card slot. For the Blue Jays to take the next step and lead a highly contested AL East, Stroman needs to fix his problems and become the dominant pitcher he was in 2014 and 2015.

Next: Hey(ward) There!

7. Jason Heyward – OF – Chicago Cubs

Entering free agency, Jason Heyward was one of the highly touted free agents in an outfield class that included Yoenis Cespedes and Upton. The 26-year-old ended up signing an eight-year, $184 M contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Heyward has been unable to match his high expectations through 60 games this season. He is hitting .239 with just four home runs, 25 RBI, and seven stolen bases. He is sporting his lowest average since 2011.

Along with his struggles hitting, his discipline at the plate has dropped significantly. Heyward is swinging at more pitches and is striking out over 20 percent of the time. That is over five percent lower than his 2015 and 2014 totals. The last time he struck out over 20 percent of the time was in 2012.

There are some upsides to his season thus far. Heyward is a two-time Gold Glove award winner and has yet to commit an error this season. He is also walking 10.7 percent of the time, higher than his previous two seasons.

The Cubs boast MLB’s best record at 47-22 and if Heyward is able to get out of his slump, they could be an even deadlier team come playoff time.

Next: Miller Time... Or Not

5. James Shields – SP – San Diego Padres/Chicago White Sox

James Shields signed a huge contract with the San Diego Padres entering the 2015 season and was expected to be the ace of the rotation. He went 3-7 with a 3.91 ERA and posted a career-high 9.6 K/9 ratio.

The next year was a completely different story. Over 11 games, Shields lost seven and posted a 4.28 ERA and 4.41 FIP. He was traded to the White Sox and in three starts, Shields has been slammed. He is 0-2 with a 21.81 ERA and 3.81 WHIP. Not only that, but he has a K/BB ratio of 0.56 and 24.9 H/9.

While these statistics are inflated because Shields has gotten rocked in all three starts, it summarizes his struggles since his 10 run outing over 2.2 innings against Seattle (before being traded).

Shields will likely pitch out of this slump, where he has given up 31 runs over 11.1 innings. Before this four game stint, he gave up just 22 runs in 64.2 innings, showing that he has the potential to pitch well often.

The 34-year-old righty is in the same position as the aforementioned Frazier, who is in the midst of a slump of his own. Both players are bound to turnaround and with that, the struggling White Sox may be able to put together a playoff run in the second half of the season.

Next: Toronto's Shortstop

4. Troy Tulowitzki – SS – Toronto Blue Jays

Troy Tulowitzki was at the top of his game in Colorado. The five-time All-Star has consistently put together seasons hitting close to .300 with 20+ home runs. After years of not being a playoff team, Tulowitzki was traded to a contender in the Toronto Blue Jays.

In the 41 games since being traded that season, Tulowitzki hit .239 with five home runs and 17 RBI. So far in 2016, the shortstop has hit .213 with nine home runs, seven doubles, and 25 RBI.

While his power numbers are up, his average is completely on the decline. Tulowitzki has a career-low BABIP of .240, much lower than his previous low of .284 BABIP. He is striking out about 25 percent of the time and his ISO is under .200 for the second straight year.

Tulowitzki missed 20 games with a quad strain and was recently activated off the disabled list. Since then, he has gone 5-for-12 with a home run and two RBI. He has been much better in June than he has the previous two months.

If Tulowitzki is able to break out of the slump like the aforementioned Stroman and perform like his former All-Star self, he may be the difference maker in a playoff contender or ‘just missing the cut’.

Next: Not so Sonny

3. Sonny Gray – SP – Oakland Athletics

Sonny Gray is the ace of the Oakland Athletics and proved it during the 2015 season. He finished in third place in the Cy Young race and put together his first All-Star season. In 31 games, Gray is 14-7 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

This year, Gray has been the complete opposite pitcher. Through 13 starts, he is 3-6 with a 5.20 ERA and 1.49 WHIP. He has a .214 K/BB ratio and a FIP of 4.64, both career worsts for the 26-year-old.

Gray is having problems with control, walking 3.5 batters per nine. He is also surrendering 1.4 home runs every nine and has thrown a ML-leading 11 wild pitches. If he is able to fix his control, Gray can end this slump of a season and turn it around for the second half of the year.

He is not, by any means, pitching his team into the playoffs – even if he was at the top of his game.  The Athletics are 29-41, dead last in the American League West and 16 games out of first place. There is a lot more needed for the A’s to make the next step into the playoffs, but having an ace like Gray turn around his season is the first step.

Next: The Prince of DH

2. Prince Fielder – DH – Texas Rangers

Originally traded before the 2014 season for Ian Kinsler, Prince Fielder was expected to be the power hitter and difference maker for the Texas Rangers come playoff time.

At first, the trade looked like a complete mistake. Fielder hit .247 with three home runs before opting for season-ending surgery. The next year was when everything clicked into place. Fielder hit .305 with 23 home runs and 98 RBI. He was selected to his sixth All-Star game and finished 13th in the MVP race.

In 2016, Fielder has struggled, hitting just .204 with five home runs and 34 RBI. His OPS+ is a career-worst 54, over 40 less than his ML-debut in 2005. Fielder has struck out 16.5 percent of the time this year, his highest since he was with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010.

Fielder’s BABIP is .224 and his ISO is .112, both career worsts. His previous career-lows came in his first year with Texas.

The Rangers are in first place in the American League West, boasting a 46-26 record. They have built a healthy 9.5 game lead on the Seattle Mariners and could improve even more if Fielder breaks out of his slump. But for now, he’s been the disappointing spot on an otherwise dominant Rangers team.

Next: Reigning Cy Young Winner

1. Dallas Keuchel – SP – Houston Astros

Ah, how the mighty have fallen.

Dallas Keuchel burst onto the scene in 2014, posting a 2.93 ERA over 29 starts. He won his first Gold Glove award and five complete games.

The following year, Keuchel was even more dominant. This time, he won 20 games and pitched a ML-leading 232 innings. He also had the ML-best 1.02 WHIP and finished the season with a 2.48 ERA. This dominant season earned him the Cy Young Award, his second Gold Glove and his first ever All-Star appearance.

However, the following year has not been a similar case. Keuchel is 3-9 with a 5.32 ERA over 15 starts. His WHIP is 1.38, his worst since 2013, before his outbreak. He has walked 2.8 batters per nine and has given up nearly 10 hits per nine, also both his worst since 2013.

Keuchel’s struggles have not come at a cheap price for the Astros. The team is 36-36, good for third place in the American League West. Though they are 10 games behind the Rangers, they are just three games out of the second Wild Card slot.

Next: Cubs smart to not trade young talent

If Keuchel is able to break out of this slump and pitch like the previous two seasons, the Astros may be able to put together another playoff run. But, for now, the 28-year-old has been the most disappointing player in MLB.