MLB: Top 5 under the radar performers so far

We’re well into the 2017 season and the pieces are falling into place. The dog days of summer are beginning and teams are comprehending where they are at.

Every season is different from the rest. No game is ever the same as another and teams can finish in first place one year and last the next.

That’s just how baseball works.

But, this season does have one thing in common with all the others: Some players get more coverage than others.

Typically, players in bigger media markets such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago get most of the coverage. Aaron Judge has dominated the baseball news cycle thus far. Any guess as to where he’s from?

The bigger media markets dominating the baseball world is fine; it’s how the world works. Nonetheless, there are a lot of players and teams who don’t get the coverage they quite deserve due to their team’s location, struggles, or both.

5. Lance McCullers Jr. (RHP, Houston Astros) 

The Houston Astros are baseball’s best team thus far with their 44 wins. The ‘Stros also boast the league’s best pitcher in Dallas Keuchel who is currently on the disabled list with neck discomfort. Keuchel sports a league-leading nine wins and league-leading ERA of 1.67.

Inadvertently, Keuchel has completely overshadowed that other pitcher in Houston, Lance McCullers Jr.

McCullers, who is currently out with lower back discomfort boasts an ERA of 2.58, which is good for sixth-best around the league. His WHIP of 1.06 is also good for top-15 status.

In a May 23rd article for Sports Illustrated by Tom Verducci, he hones in on the prevalence of curveballs in today’s game. In the piece, he cites just how much McCullers utilizes the curveball. From the start of 2016 until the time that the piece was written, McCullers led all starters with a minimum of 100 innings pitched by throwing curveballs 48.0% of the time. He also throws 68% of the time when there are two strikes.

On most teams, McCullers would be a number one starter. Nonetheless, he’s on the same team as Keuchel and doesn’t get the honor of being the ace.

McCullers has been the second-biggest reason as to why the Astros’ team ERA (3.74) ranks fourth in all of baseball. The biggest reason would be due to Keuchel.

Looks like McCullers can’t escape Keuchel’s shadow.

4. Jake Lamb (3B, Arizona Diamondbacks) 

The Arizona Diamondbacks have actually been one of the league’s biggest surprises thus far. They are 0.5 games out of first in the NL West and have made a complete 180 from last year.

A lot of people have performed well for the D-Backs, but none more than Jake Lamb, who has a lot of things overshadowing him out West.

For one, he’s teammates with well-known superstar Paul Goldschmidt who also happens to be having an outstanding season. Also, Lamb’s competition at third base in the NL West is Nolan Arenado and Justin Turner.

It’s pretty hard for Lamb to compete with that.

Nonetheless, Lamb is having a superstar-caliber campaign with his league-leading 57 RBI. His 16 home runs rank among the top-15 in all of baseball.

Lamb has been a huge bright spot for the up-and-coming D-backs as they ascend to the top of the NL West.

3. Starlin Castro (2B, New York Yankees) 

As stated earlier, the main topic in New York has been Aaron Judge, and for good reason. Judge leads the league in home runs with 22, ranks top-three in batting average at .347, and is number one in slugging percentage (.728), OBP (.453), and OPS (1.180).

But Starlin Castro has also been having a great season. He’s just not getting the attention.

Castro is in the midst of the best season of his career. His batting average of .328 ranks seventh in the league. He ranks third in hits with 81. His 12 home runs and 41 RBI complement his stat line as well.

While Judge completes the power aspect of the Yankees, Castro adds consistency.

The Yankees are 3.5 games up on the Boston Red Sox for first place in the AL East and sport the best run differential in MLB at +117. The Yankees also rank first in all major offensive categories.

Castro is the second-best offensive player on the powerhouse Yankees right now, which says a lot about just how spectacular he’s been.

2. Jason Vargas (SP, Kansas City Royals) 

The Kansas City Royals have had a disastrous 2017 thus far. At 28-34 and 5.5 games out of first place in the terrible AL Central, the Royals are in rapid descent.

But there has been one bright spot, and that is starting pitcher Jason Vargas who has dazzled thus far.

Vargas’ ERA of 2.10 ranks second only to Keuchel in MLB. His nine wins also tie him for first, with, you guessed it.

Vargas has been in the big-leagues since 2005 and has never been able to truly find the perfect fit.  ERA-wise, his best season was 2014 when he had a 3.71. Now with his ERA sitting at a tremendous 2.10, this season seems as if it will clearly be his best.

Even though Vargas is 34 years old, he’s still out there getting it done. If the Royals continue to burn near the bottom of the AL Central, they will look to trade him. Vargas has never had a season nearly this good and the Royals would get a lot in return for him.