MLB: Players 30 years or older still proving their worth

Yasmani Grandal

Brewers Catcher – Age 30

After a hitless March, Grandal started turning on pitches and has put together six-multi-hit games in April. He has additionally only gone hitless in one game this month.

Grandal is hitting  a scorching hot .395 with four homeruns and eight RBI. He’s scored 11 runs and reached base five times via the free pass.

His on-base percentage is .460 and he is slugging .721.

Grandal currently is at the top of several categories in the league due to his offensive production. He is sixth in average, ninth in on-base and slugging and eighth in OPS.

More than just his offensive production on a team that has Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain and reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich, Grandal is a defensive improvement from last year’s catcher Manny Pina.

While he is more famous for the amount of passed balls against the Brewers in the NLCS last season, his fielding percentage behind the plate has held to just below 1.000 since he debuted for the Padres in 2012.

In eight seasons as a catcher, he has only committed 33 errors and has allowed fewer and fewer passed balls as his tenure continued.

Grandal is currently on a one-year deal, but don’t be surprised if the Brewers look to extend him if they continue to push for the postseason.

Wilson Ramos

Mets Catcher – Age 31

Two catchers already? Crazy!

In contrast to Grandal, Ramos is not an advantage to the Mets because of his defense, but because of his bat.

The two time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner is just one of a few Mets tearing the cover off the ball early on in the season.

Despite not hitting a homerun thus far, Ramos is sporting a solid .350/.435/.375 slash line. He has only one extra-base hit but he has scored six runs, driven in eight runs and has drawn seven total walks.

He tore apart his former team in the Nationals to open the season. In that three-game set, he went 4 for 9 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored.

Aside from protecting hitters in an order with Robinson Cano, Michael Conforto and rookie Pete Alonso, he offers a good rotation behind the dish with him and Travis d’Arnaud.

Ramos is coming off an All-Star appearance with the Rays and a playoff push finish with the Phillies. Ramos is guaranteed to be a big part of the Mets offense going forward as the Mets stay hot.

Nick Markakis

Braves Outfielder – Age 35

Picking up right where he left off last year, the Braves’ acquisition of Markakis proved to be much more valuable than initially perceived.

What the Braves’ intended from the acquisition was to get a defensive upgrade with a strong arm and middle of the order bat who could nearly hit .300 every season.

Last year was a breakout season for Markakis. He put together an immaculate .297/.366/.440 slash line having played all 162 games in right field. He added to it 14 homeuns and 93 RBI.

He joined fellow 34-year-old Matt Kemp and Bryce Harper as 2018’s NL starting outfield at the All-Star Game in D.C. last summer; his first appearance at such event as well.

This season he is continuing his flourish with a strong .333/.386/.471 slash to start with one homerun and 12 RBI.

Markakis has also served as the perfect role model in clubhouse that is aiming to grow younger; having locked up Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies for the next several seasons. Additionally he protects a lineup that starts with Ender Inciarte, Josh Donaldson, Freddie Freeman and Acuna.

Tough to beat the impact Markakis has made in now his 14th year in MLB.

Adam Jones

Diamondbacks Outfielder – Age 33

One of the latest of the signees this offseason, Jones was not guaranteed a starting job when he signed with the Diamondbacks.

After the injury of Steven Souza Jr. just days before Opening Day, Jones was granted a regular role in right field; and boy did he impress.

Jones opened the season in the leadoff spot and in right field, and he proved that he can still play:

Jones has kept up at a hot pace slashing .333/.385/.617 and having already hit four homeruns, driven in eight and scored six.

More importantly, his presence in the clubhouse was much needed. After the trade of Paul Goldschmidt and the losses of AJ Pollock and Patrick Corbin in free agency, the leadership of last year had been uprooted; leaving many to question who would be the new voice in the locker room or in the dugout.

Jones has provided nothing but knowledge and leadership since joining the team; continuing to inspire some of his teammates and serve as mentor to some of the younger guys.

I know it has been trending of me to say something along the lines of ‘leader in the clubhouse’ but with age comes wisdom and Jones is certainly not lacking wisdom.

DJ LeMahieu

Yankees Infielder – Age 30

The perennial gold-glove winner and former batting champion was not expecting any starting role with a developing middle infield of Gleyber Torres and Didi Gregorious; even Miguel Andujar manning third base. But like with Jones, injuries opened the door for LeMahieu and he took advantage.

Sitting just behind Tim Anderson for the highest batting average in the league, LeMahieu is one of five players hitting above .400; currently sitting at .432. He adds to it an OBP of .490 (3rd in the majors) and slugging of .545. He also has five doubles and seven RBI

LeMahieu has hits in all but two of his games this year, but he of course has flashed a bit of leather on the diamond as well.

He has 24 assists and nine putouts at second and third base. Coming off his second consecutive gold glove, this should come at no surprise.

LeMahieu has been the savior of the Yankees lineup given the never ending losses to the Injury List the Yankees have had this year; one of them being his former Colorado Rockies teammate Troy Tulowitzki.

For now, he gets to play up the middle with Torres or to Torres’ right and continue to provide the Yankees with a man who constantly makes great contact and prevents any groundballs from sneaking to the outfield grass.

Matt Shoemaker

Blue Jays Starter – Age 32

Shoemaker would have just faded into obscurity due to his injury history with the Angels, but the Blue Jays took a chance on the former 16-game winner. He might be off to his best start in years.

In three starts for the Jays, Shoemaker has posted a ridiculous 0.92 ERA in 19.2 innings pitched; third best in the league. He has earned the victory in all three of his starts and has limited opposing hitters to a .138 batting average (sixth best).

His .071 WHIP is fifth best and further supports not only his low ERA, but his ability to pitch is still looking consistent.

He threw two consecutive shutouts to begin the season against the first-place Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles in seven-inning quality outings.

He’s so far been a welcome addition to a rotation headlined by Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman. He and other recent signee Clay Buchholz help support the younger pitchers and look to take their re-found talents far in a competitive AL East.

Charlie Morton

Rays Starter – Age 35

Coming off of his best two seasons with Houston, it was assumed the Astros would want to retain the veteran, but Tampa Bay jumped at Morton and Morton has been a solid support to reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell.

There is a lot to like about all of the Rays’ pitching staff right now and Morton has been a key contributor.

In three starts he is 2-0 in 16 total innings, holding hitters to a staggering .185 batting average and is maintaining a 2.25 ERA.

Morton followed up a five-inning, two-run performance against his former team the Astros, with a six-inning shutout against the Rockies.

Morton has not only reduced the amount of bullpenned games by the Rays, but is helping to push them to the top of the division; keeping Tampa Bay at a good pace after a 90-win finish last season.

Morton’s increased dominance will make him a tough matchup to any of the American League’s best hitters.

Brett Anderson

Athletics Starter – Age 31

It almost feels like deja vu when you say one-year contract and Brett Anderson.

It’s been tough sledding for the veteran lefty until recently returning to the Athletics last season.

Anderson has been a solid addition this season too. In three starts, he has led the Athletics to wins in all of them. He has compiled 18 innings and maintains a 2.50 ERA. It includes a shutout in his first start against the division-rival Angels.

Anderson has made it almost feel like a homecoming; having started his career with the A’s as part of young rotation with guys like Dallas Braden and Gio Gonzalez (as well as someone else in this slider).

Now, he is in an older rotation with Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada but still serving as a mentor to Frankie Montas.

As the only lefty in the rotation, he is not only valuable in providing variety, but he’s clearly still pitching at a high level; leading the way to a dominant A’s bullpen.

Trevor Cahill

Angels Starter – Age 31

Cahill, like many former Athletics pitchers, was dominant, an All-Star and thus became too expensive for Oakland and sought out a juicy contract. Once he left his career took a downward turn.

He had a string of stints in Arizona, Chicago, Kansas City, Atlanta and San Diego before finding his way back to Oakland.

In Oakland, like Anderson, he revived his career and in free agency signed with the Angels.

He’s off to a pretty good start too.

In three starts, Cahill has compiled 18 innings of work, he has a 1-1 record, 16 strikeouts, a 3.50 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP.

That includes his most recent eight-strikeout gem:

He is currently the Angels’ oldest rotational pitcher; the closest in age to him being Matt Harvey, who also signed this offseason.

Cahill has been a light on the Angels team that has struggled to keep pace in a division with the scorching hot Mariners and the perennial favorite Astros.

Cahill’s presence will be necessary if the Angels hope to reach the playoffs again for just the second time in a decade.

Wade Miley

Astros Starter – Age 32

Like Cahill, he started his career strong, but once he left Arizona, the numbers went down and he became more of a footnote. Last season, he became a huge part of the Brewers’ postseason pitching staff. That performance helped get him signed in Houston and he has carried that performance into this season.

Miley, who essentially filled the lefty spot left by Dallas Keuchel, has compiled 15.2 innings of work in three starts.

In those innings, he has a 1-1 record, a 3.45 ERA, 10 strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP.

Miley opened the season with a tough loss to the Rays where he allowed three runs in six innings. He would follow it up with 5.2 shutout innings against the rival A’s.

He isn’t necessarily the leader in the clubhouse with the leadership of guys like Justin Verlander and Jose Altuve, but like Anderson he is a change of pace in the rotation that features more right-handed pitchers than southpaws.

Miley is already on a great team, so pitching well will only inflate his value.

Derek Holland

Giants Starter – Age 32

Holland was kind of an emergency signing last year for the Giants. He signed to a minor-league deal and made the team at the start of the season as an injury replacement. He then proved his worth and pitched to cement himself in the rotation.

This year was different. Holland was signed to a major-league deal and made the rotation out of Spring Training.

Holland also had some great years in Texas but fell to mediocre with the Rangers and couldn’t put it together with the White Sox either. He would find his mojo again in San Francisco.

Last season, impressed the critics with a 3.57 ERA in 171.1 innings pitched. His strikeout total jumped back up from 104 with the White Sox to 169 with the Giants.

This year it is much of the same.

Holland currently holds a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings with 21 strikeouts.

He is coming off of his best outing of the season with a seven-inning gem against the Rockies. He allowed one run, five hits, two walks and struck out nine.

Holland is also a positive presence in the clubhouse and more so because of his grand personality.

Here’s a good example:

Holland has quickly earned the love of his teammates and the Giant faithful, and that goes a long way in San Francisco.