Call to the pen
Fansided

1 player from each MLB team who has been a disappointment

By Noah Yingling

May 9, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Jarred Kelenic (10) returns to the dugout after striking out against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Jarred Kelenic (10) returns to the dugout after striking out against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong
Sep 25, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong (11) hits a sacrifice fly ball during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

Milwaukee Brewers: Brandon Woodruff

Brandon Woodruff is another pitcher who has had a lot of bad luck to start the season and will likely start seeing better results as the season goes on … but it hasn’t shown up yet.

In 2021, he was an All-Star and came in fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting as he had a 2.56 ERA in 30 starts with a 2.96 FIP, a 165 ERA+, a 0.965 WHIP, and a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

In 2022, he has a 5.97 ERA in six starts with a 1.36 WHIP and a higher walk rate. His FIP is still low, though, as it is only 3.62.

His WAR is -0.5, though, which is the lowest on the team.

St. Louis Cardinals: Paul DeJong

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of players who have disappointed so this wasn’t easy. They’ve had bad starts from Steven Matz (who they signed to a four-year deal this offseason), Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Carlson, and others too … but Paul DeJong takes it for this one.

DeJong had 30 homers in 2019 and was an All-Star but he has been awful at the plate since then.

In 2022, he was hitting .130/.209/.208 with an OPS+ of 28 before he was sent down to Triple-A Memphis earlier this week.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Mitch Keller

Like the Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a lot of guys who could fall into this category but we’ll go with Mitch Keller.

Keller, 26, was in MLB’s top 50 prospects list for four straight years (as high as #19 and he was still #39 entering 2020). He lost his rookie status in the 2020 season and he has yet to prove that he is even a decent pitcher at the MLB level.

In 2021, he went 5-11 with a 6.17 ERA in 23 starts with a 4.30 FIP and a 1.788 WHIP. In 2022, he is 0-5 with a 6.61 ERA in seven starts. He also has a 62 ERA+, a 4.72 FIP, and a WHIP of 1.531.

Chicago Cubs: Jason Heyward

Jason Heyward hasn’t been a consistently good hitter in many years so having that continue in 2022 is no surprise.

From 2016 through 2021, his OPS+ was 87 and in 2022, it is 71.

However, he has always been a great defender. This season, he hasn’t been. Entering Saturday, he had -3 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). For someone making $20 million to be a -0.3 WAR player, that’s not a great contract for the Cubs.

Cincinnati Reds: (Let’s be honest) Nearly the whole team

The Cincinnati Reds have won five out of their last six games entering Saturday but they still have only won nine games on the season.

Overall, their biggest disappointments have been Joey Votto (18 OPS+, injured for nearly two weeks thus far), Nick Senzel (43 OPS+, injured yet again), Tyler Mahle (5.89 ERA in eight starts), and Hunter Greene (a top 100 prospect in each of the last five seasons, 7.62 ERA in six starts to make his MLB debut in 2022).

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