MLB: The five best and worst teams at the leadoff spot in 2017
MLB Worst Production from the Leadoff Spot
- Milwaukee Brewers (80 wRC+)—Jonathan Villar (44% of leadoff PA)
Coming off a .286/.369/.457 season in which he scored 92 runs and stole 62 bases, it looked like Villar would be a terrific leadoff man for the Brewers last year. He started the season in the leadoff spot but was demoted in late May after hitting .213/.285/.330. He got another chance at the leadoff spot in July but didn’t hit much better. It was an ugly season for Villar.
The most common replacement at the top of the order for Villar was Eric Sogard, who had a .367 OBP while leading off. Sogard won’t be a regular in 2018, so the leadoff spot should end up going to Christian Yelich or Lorenzo Cain. Either one will be better than what the team had at the top of the order last year.
- Toronto Blue Jays (78 wRC+)—Kevin Pillar (36% of leadoff PA)
Pillar led the Blue Jays in steals so that he may have been a traditional pick for the leadoff spot, but his .306 OBP when batting first didn’t exactly set the table for the rest of the lineup. Jose Bautista took over the top spot in the order during the middle of the season, but his .305 OBP as a leadoff man was even worse than Pillar. Heading into the 2018 season, it looks like Curtis Granderson could take over the leadoff spot. He’s projected for a .339 OBP, which should help the production of Josh Donaldson, Justin Smoak and Kendrys Morales behind him.
- Pittsburgh Pirates (77 wRC+)—Adam Frazier (39% of leadoff PA)
The Pirates had four players with at least 50 plate appearances in the leadoff spot last year, and none of them were any good. Frazier was the best of the four, with an 88 wRC+. Starling Marte had the second-most plate appearances at the top of the order, but his 79 wRC+ wasn’t good either. The other two guys with 50 or more plate appearances atop the lineup were Josh Harrison (.295 OBP in 129 PA) and Jordy Mercer (.235 OBP in 51 PA).