MLB hot take: 5 disappointing players on contending teams

There are seemingly more contending teams this MLB season compared to last. Clubs like the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles are just a few that come to mind. With these teams stepping up, some teams have fallen off a bit. That is in large part due to some of their top players not performing at the level at which they should be playing.

Here are five disappointing players on contending teams around MLB

MLB disappointment 5. Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays

It was very hard to pick a player from the Rays. However, with how well they have done so far this season, I feel it’s only right to put a Rays player on this list. Who knows, maybe Tampa will be even better after the All-Star break. That is scary to think about. With that said, Brandon Lowe is my pick for the Rays. One disclaimer is that Lowe is recovering from an injury and won’t be back in action until July according to Sports Illustrated.

Lowe has never been a huge average guy, hitting .244 for his career but what makes him valuable is his power. Lowe hit 39 home runs in 2021 with the Rays, but wasn’t the same player in 2022 or now in 2023. Missing a chunk of playing time last year definitely hurt his numbers and, since the start of the new season, he still hasn’t gotten back to form.

With how Tampa Bay finds and develops talent, I don’t see this hurting the team like some of the other players on this list. That is why he is at number five instead of number one or two. If the All-Star second baseman does get back to his level from a couple of years ago, the Rays will still succeed and it would be hard to see them not win the division even with how stacked the AL East is.

MLB disappointment 3. Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP and 2019 runner-up, Christian Yelich hasn’t really been back to his normal self since his first couple years in Milwaukee. His average has gone down dramatically, along with his once elite power numbers. In fact, the 80 home runs he hit over those two years is almost double the amount he has hit in the last three years.

His team, the Brewers, are battling to get back to first place in the National League Central. The Cincinnati Reds, one of the teams mentioned in the opening, have been on a surprising run lately and have bypassed the Brewers. If the Brew Crew wants to catch them, they need to see some more production out of Yelich.

The same could be said for the player that finished ahead of Yelich for the 2019 MVP voting. Cody Bellinger also hasn’t been the same player since his first couple of MLB seasons. While being more productive than Yelich, It is still sad to see them both not at the level we know they can be at.

MLB disappointment 2. Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta Braves

Here is another high selling player not contributing to his team’s success. In Marcell Ozuna’s case, his team is doing very well as the Atlanta Braves have a 47-26 record and sit 5.5 games up on the Marlins for first place. During this success, Ozuna was actually benched in a game in Arizona when he hit a 415-foot single.

If you haven’t seen it, check out this video that was shared on Fox Sports MLB’s Twitter.

A slash line of .241/.326/.477 is not the worst, but it won’t cut it on a team that looks to contend for its second championship in three years. Especially for a player like Ozuna who has had seasons of 30-plus home runs and batting averages over .300. Maybe the Braves benching Ozuna will motivate him in the long run. He could be in for a great second half but, for right now, I am keeping him on this list.

MLB disappointment 1. Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins

For a player getting $200 million over six years, I think it is safe to say that Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa has underperformed. The Twins are a weird story as well. As of June 20, they would be last place in the AL East … yet they lead the AL Central. That is not saying too much considering how good the East is but if Correa’s numbers were better, I don’t think that last sentence would be relevant.

Carlos’s numbers are as follows; a .218 average, nine home runs, 34 RBI, and an OPS+ of 96, four points below average. It is not like he is doing horrible but, for his salary, he is underperforming. A go-ahead grand slam a few weeks ago against Toronto may have given a spark to his confidence, but that isn’t normally the issue with Correa.

The two-time All-Star has never lacked confidence but a big hit when your team needs it can turn your season around for good. When the stars are performing, it is good, not only for their team and fans but for the game in general. Baseball needs Carlos Correa to break through and I think it is only a matter of time before he does.