7 Struggling MLB Stars Destined to Turn It Around
The 162-game Major League Baseball schedule can be both a curse and blessing for stars going through slumps.
On the one hand, when things are going bad, there's nowhere to run. Tomorrow brings another game, another challenge.
On the bright side, there's always plenty of time to make up for lost days.
Going through a slump is no fun, and slumps are unavoidable over 162 games. Sometimes it's physical; sometimes it's mental. Either way, stars need to find a way to work through them and carry their teams to victory.
Here are seven stars currently struggling to find their way and why each one is destined to turn his season around.
1. Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels
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In nine seasons prior to this one, Jered Weaver has never had a losing record, and only once has he finished with an ERA over 4.00.
He’s on pace to do both this year.
For a pitcher who has had a remarkably consistent career, Weaver can be rather streaky from month to month.
To wit: Over the past four seasons, Weaver has averaged 16.75 wins. Over that stretch, he has notched at least two months of four wins every year, meaning half of his positive production is coming within a third of the season.
Weaver has already had one such month this year, going 4-1 with a 2.83 ERA. Another month like that should put him well on the way to another 16-win season.
2. Melky Cabrera, LF, Chicago White Sox
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Cabrera hasn’t been the player the White Sox thought they were getting when they gave him a three-year, $42 million contract this winter. The left fielder’s numbers are down across the board this year, and he’s averaging a career-worst in batting, on-base and slugging percentage.
Why will he turn it around?
Well, Cabrera loves July. He loves July almost as much as Severus Snape loved Lily Evans. Cabrera loves July so much, his Patronus is Julius Caesar.
Omitting the 2013 season, when he was injured, here are Cabrera's numbers the past three times he's been healthy during the month of July.
2011 - .384, 4 HR, 18 RBI
2012 - .355, 3 HR, 14 RBI
2014 - .356, 3 HR, 17 RBI
Cabrera has some work to do to earn his contract, but expect his bat to heat up about ten days after the summer solstice.
3. Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle Mariners
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Cano, in the second year of his 10-year, $240 million contract, is currently sporting career-worst numbers in every significant statistical category. With the Mariners currently toiling near the bottom of the AL West, one can imagine there aren’t many smiling faces in Seattle.
Still, there’s reason to believe Cano will be back to tearing the cover off the ball in no time. Bleacher Report correspondent Heath Clary dove deep into Cano’s season and came up with this:
"His 34.6 hard-hit percentage, according to FanGraphs, is about two points higher than his career average and six points higher than last year.
Cano ranks 45th in the league in exit velocity, per Baseball Savant, with the ball coming off his bat at an average velocity of 91 miles per hour. While his spot on the leaderboard might not seem that impressive, Nolan Arenado, Nelson Cruz, Hanley Ramirez and Andrew McCutchen—guys having better seasons than Cano—all rank lower than the Mariners' 32-year-old second baseman.
"
Only twice in his career has Cano failed to hit .300 for a season. He’ll pick it up.
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4. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Milwaukee Brewers
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After earning his first All-Star nod in 2014, this should’ve been the season 28-year-old Jonathan Lucroy cemented his place among the game’s best catchers.
Instead, his numbers have plummeted, his Brewers hold the second-worst record in all of baseball and he’s already suffered the indignity of a broken toe.
That's not quite the follow-up act he had in mind.
The good news is that Lucroy’s rounded into form since returning from injury, batting .314 with one home run in eight games (as of June 9).
While it’s too late to save Milwaukee’s season or earn Lucroy a second All-Star nomination, there’s a nice pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for fantasy owners: Missing 38 games will surely keep Lucroy fresh down the stretch. His batting average dipped by 33 points after the break last season.
5. Corey Kluber, SP, Cleveland Indians
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While Kluber’s 3-7 record might scream “regression to the mean” after last season’s AL-best 18-win mark, a deeper look suggests the right-hander hasn’t been that bad this year.
The truth is, Kluber just needs to get away from the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals.
In 13 appearances, Kluber has registered eight quality starts, and only twice have the Indians scored more than four runs. But things get really shaky when he faces the Royals.
Versus KC: 0-3, 5.85 ERA
Versus everyone else: 3-4, 2.89 ERA
Cleveland doesn't play Kansas City again until late July. Now, all Kluber needs is some run support.
6. Jon Lester, SP, Chicago Cubs
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Lester signed a six-year, $155 million contract with the Cubs this offseason and has immediately failed to pay dividends for Chicago.
Only once in eight full seasons in the majors has Lester failed to both post a winning record and have an ERA below 4.00—he’s on pace to do both again this year.
Given the onerous contract and the fact this is his first time pitching in the National League, Lester was expected to struggle a bit this season. The silver lining, simply, is this: Jon Lester is a very good pitcher and, more importantly, a highly resilient individual. He’ll figure out how to cope with his new surroundings and the pressure of his contract.
7. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Washington Nationals
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Perhaps unnoticed due to the gravitational pull of Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman is in the midst of the worst season of his career. How does a career .282 hitter suddenly struggle to keep his head above .200?
It's simple. He develops plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
According to James Wagner of the Washington Post, manager Matt Williams is confident Zimmerman will bounce back.
"He’s a pro," Williams said. "He understands how to hit and he’s proven that over time. He’ll be fine. I fully expect him to be, at the end of the year, where he normally is. He’s gone through a bit of a tough stretch lately. That being said, he knows how to get out of it, too."
It’s difficult not to echo Williams’ sentiments. Sometimes, you just have to bet on the player to turn things around, even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
Zimmerman isn’t the first athlete to develop plantar fasciitis. The Washington training staff will figure out a way to manage the pain, and Zimmerman will find a way to produce at the plate.
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