Ranking 10 MLB Players Under the Most Pressure in the 2nd Half of the Season
With the 2015 All-Star Game now in the rearview mirror, MLB teams are now looking to either push for the playoffs or regroup and prepare for next season.
Most of the teams that have positioned themselves in the playoff picture have to be satisfied with their performance to this point. However, numerous players, such as stars CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander and Starlin Castro, have underwhelmed this season and are holding their clubs back as a result. There are also players who have performed well in a new role who must keep up their level of play.
As the second half of the season begins Friday, these players will be counted on to rebound and help their teams secure a spot to continue playing come October. In addition, these players must step up to potentially keep their jobs.
Here is a list of players who are under the most pressure when the latter half of the MLB season resumes based on each player’s expected performance in accordance to his team’s postseason projection.
Honorable Mentions
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- 2B Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
- OF Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
- SS J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles
- P Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
- 3B Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
While one could argue for any of these players to make this list, others just fit the criteria better.
Cano and Hamilton are big names who are having disappointing seasons, but the Mariners and Rangers are unlikely to challenge for the playoffs down the stretch. Hamilton has also struggled in recent years, so the pressure to perform has faded a bit since he returned to Texas.
Hardy has not played well for Baltimore, and the team is not in playoff spot as a result. However, players like Chris Tillman and Chris Davis carry more blame and scrutiny for the year so far. So while Hardy has struggled and must hit better, his share of the blame is less than other players.
Lester and Zimmerman are big names who have struggled. One of Zimmerman's teammates is under more pressure to perform, so he falls back a few slots. As for Lester, he has pitched much better of late and looks to perhaps be back on track for the Cubs.
10. P Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins
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When the Minnesota Twins signed Ervin Santana to a four-year deal worth $54 million—the largest free-agent contract in franchise history per HardballTalk—they were expecting a dynamic starter who could shore up the rotation as a second or third option.
Thus, the team was blindsided when Santana received an 80-game suspension in April after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, especially with Minnesota finishing last in the American League Central the previous year.
However, the Twins have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, as they sit at 49-40 and only 4.5 games back of the Kansas City Royals. The situation appeared even better when Santana returned from his suspension July 5. He looked sharp in that start, going eight innings and allowing two runs on three hits despite not earning a decision in a 3-2 loss to the Royals.
Santana followed that start up with a poor outing of four innings, eight hits and six runs and a no-decision on July 10.
Outside of Phil Hughes and Kyle Gibson, the Twins have not had a lot of success with their rotation. The team will need Santana to consistently provide quality starts if it hopes to stay alive in the playoff race.
It has only been two starts, so Santana has time to find his groove and earn his paycheck. The circumstances surrounding his short time in Minnesota lands him on this list, but the small body of work gives him a larger margin for error at this point. This allows Santana to have more time to prove himself and help his team, which puts less pressure on him compared to others in this discussion.
9. P Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox
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Speaking of big contracts, the Boston Red Sox signed Rick Porcello to a massive four-year, $82.5 million contract extension to solidify the top of the rotation with Clay Buchholz. So how has he responded? Not well at all.
Porcello was named the midseason AL Cy “Yuk” award winner by ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. That honor is basically the opposite of the Cy Young. With a 5-9 record and 5.90 ERA, Porcello appears to be a fine choice.
Red Sox management and fans may already be lamenting Porcello’s contract. If he wants to get back in their good graces, he has to have a monster second half of the season.
Porcello definitely feels the pressure to justify a decision that could be the biggest miss of Ben Cherington’s time as general manager.
Sitting at 42-47, the Red Sox are only 6.5 games out of the division despite being in last place in the AL East. A resurgence from Porcello is vital to any chance the team has of clawing back for a playoff spot. If the team were a more serious postseason contender, Porcello would likely find himself near the top of this list because of the colossal disappointment he has been.
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8. SS Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals
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Once one of the Washington National’s bright young stars, Ian Desmond has seen his production steadily decline in the past two seasons, both at the plate and in the field.
After he hit close to .300 in most of his first five seasons, his average dropped to .255 last year, and he enters the second half of this season hitting a dreadful .211. He is also on pace for career lows in hits, RBI and slugging percentage.
Even worse, Desmond’s fielding has also deteriorated. Take a look at his numbers this year compared to his career averages:
| Year | Errors | Fielding Percentage |
| 2015 (83 Games) | 20 | .946 |
| Career Average | 23 | .963 |
The career averages only include his time from 2010 to 2014, the years Desmond became an every-day player. So far, he is having a substantially subpar year in the field.
The Nationals sit in first place in the National League East, and with a dominant pitching staff and potential league MVP Bryce Harper, they appear to be a major contender for the NL pennant.
If Washington hopes to secure a division title and possibly home-field advantage in the playoffs, it will need Desmond to rediscover his game and give more support to Harper in the lineup.
Desmond is also a free agent following this season, so he has even more to play for during the remainder of this year.
7. P Luke Gregerson, Houston Astros
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As opposed to other players on this list, Luke Gregerson has enjoyed a career year so far with the Houston Astros.
A reliever for his first six seasons, Gregerson has entrenched himself as the closer for the Astros and has flourished in his new role. He has 18 saves so far and only three blown saves.
He is a big reason why the Astros have exceeded all expectations this year while sitting just a 0.5 game back of the Los Angeles Angels for first place in the AL West.
But can he keep up this type of play? That is the major question that will surround Gregerson the remainder of this season. The Astros are in one of the tightest division races in the league and will need him to consistently close out games to keep pace with the Angels.
There is some concern for the righty as he blew eight saves a year ago with the Oakland Athletics in a lesser role. The pressure will be on Gregerson to prove he is a legitimate closer who can guide a team to the playoffs.
6. P Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants
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Matt Cain has proved to be a big-time pitcher as he was an integral part of the San Francisco Giants’ World Series wins in 2010 and 2012. So why is he so high on this list?
He has struggled with inconsistency and injuries his last three seasons. Take a look at his numbers during that time span:
| Year | Starts | Wins | Losses | ERA |
| 2013 | 30 | 8 | 10 | 4.00 |
| 2014 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 4.18 |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4.09 |
He missed a large part of 2014 with elbow problems, and this season he suffered a forearm strain after recovering from elbow surgery.
The righty returned in June, but his team is facing potentially dire straits heading into the second half of the year. The Giants are 4.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and two games back of the Chicago Cubs for the final NL wild-card spot.
Cain has gone 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in two starts, but he will need to find his old form to help a Giants rotation that has been shaky outside of Madison Bumgarner and Chris Heston.
The 30-year-old is in a similar situation as Santana in that they have only been back for a pair of starts. However, Cain has been a better pitcher on better teams compared to Santana, so the pressure for Cain to perform is greater. Plus, a disappointing second half for Cain could mean the defending World Series champs may miss the postseason, which is a burden Santana does not have.
With another underwhelming season, Cain may become disposable for the Giants since he is owed $20 million through 2018, according to Spotrac. The pressure will be high on him to stabilize the rotation and reinforce his own job security.
5. Of Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
7 of 11Yasiel Puig has been one of the game’s top young stars since he entered the MLB from Cuba in 2013. As you can tell from his above highlights, his prowess at the plate, speed and rocket of an arm all prove he has the tools to become a perennial All-Star.
The story in 2015 has been different thus far. Injuries and inconsistent play have Puig on track for the worst season of his young career. Take a look at his numbers so far compared to his first two seasons:
| Year | Games Played | Average | Home Runs | RBI |
| 2013 | 104 | .319 | 19 | 42 |
| 2014 | 148 | .296 | 16 | 69 |
| 2015 | 43 | .261 | 4 | 14 |
Normally, a young player with a slightly down year would not create much cause for concern. However, Puig is not the average player. His exuberant personality and flair for the dramatic on the field make him one of the game’s most scrutinized players. He also has a rocky relationship with manager Don Mattingly.
Some, like FanSided’s Kyle Franzoni, have suggested the Dodgers should consider trading Puig for pitching help such as Philadelphia Phillies starter Cole Hamels. It may too early to consider parting ways with such an exceptional talent, but time could be running out on Puig, especially after his teammates have developed some animosity toward him as well, according to Molly Knight's The Best Team Money Can Buy (via Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan).
The Dodgers appear primed for another playoff run as they are in first place in the NL West. Another early postseason exit coupled with a disappointing second half of the season from Puig could complicate things in Los Angeles since the youngster will shoulder plenty of blame from fans and the media. Therefore, he is under tremendous pressure to perform.
Puig and his team’s situation may not be as bad as the other players mentioned on this list, but his spotlight burns brighter than any other player mentioned, which makes it imperative for him to play well. This makes Puig’s spot on this list a perfect fit.
4. SS Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs
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The young Cubs have broken out this season, as they own the second wild-card spot in the NL. With young stars like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo getting plenty of accolades, one player who has been lost in the mix is Starlin Castro.
Once the Cubs’ franchise player and one of the league’s next big stars, Castro is having a subpar season while the stakes are the highest they have been for the Cubs in more than five years.
He is batting .241 and sporting a weak .283 on base percentage. He is also easily on pace to commit a career-high amount of errors. This is especially disappointing given Chicago’s playoff chances. If Castro were hitting around .300 per usual, the team would have a cushion for the wild card, and the top of the batting order would have even more security.
At only 25 years of age, Castro is a leader on this Chicago team and needs to lead by picking up his play when it matters most this season. With promising shortstop Addison Russell behind him, Castro will also need a strong finish to avoid losing playing time in the future.
Every player on this list is connected to the playoffs in some capacity, but Castro’s situation places him near the top of the group. The Cubs have been awful for his entire tenure in the Windy City. Now that the team is good, he cannot afford to fade. Castro is one of this list’s most important X-factors for his respective team.
3. P Matt Harvey, New York Mets
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Celebrated as one of the best arms in baseball, Matt Harvey has not yet found his former elite self in 2015.
Prior to missing last season because of injury, Harvey was sensational, as he posted a 2.27 ERA and a 9-5 record on a bad Mets team in 2013. This season, on a far improved team, he has been slightly above-average, going 8-6 with a 3.07 ERA, which would be the highest mark of his career.
Harvey has been the second- or third-best starter in the New York rotation behind All-Star Jacob deGrom. This group includes 42-year-old Bartolo Colon and 22-year-old Noah Syndergaard, who have put up similar numbers to Harvey.
The Mets are enjoying their best season in nearly 10 years even with their supposed ace underwhelming. The team is just two games back of the Nationals in the NL East and could very well make the playoffs. Similar to Castro, Harvey must play to his ability now when his team needs it most.
The reason Harvey ranks over Castro is because pitchers are more valued than position players. Great pitching usually prevails over great hitting.
Besides David Wright, who has played in eight games, the Mets do not have a single batter hitting over .300. So if the Mets are to truly contend for the playoffs, they will need Harvey to dominate down the stretch. Otherwise, the team can expect another empty October.
2. P Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
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What has happened to Verlander?
Once arguably the best pitcher in the game, he now appears to be a shell of his former self. After missing a significant amount of time with injuries this season, he has continued to struggle. Notice the decline of his numbers in recent years:
| Year | Wins | Losses | ERA |
| 2012 | 17 | 8 | 2.64 |
| 2013 | 13 | 12 | 3.46 |
| 2014 | 15 | 12 | 4.54 |
| 2015 | 0 | 2 | 5.34 |
The most alarming trend here is his ERA, which has steadily risen.
Despite losing Max Scherzer, the Tigers appeared to still be one of the top contenders to win the AL pennant in large part because of the presence of Verlander. Yet, he has not come through at all in the short time he has been back, and as a result Detroit is nine games out of the AL Central and in serious danger of missing the playoffs.
Verlander’s lack of production coupled with the seven-year, $180 million contract he signed in 2013 could have fans turning on the 2011 Cy Young winner. If the Tigers are going to salvage their season, it will be up to him to dominate and lead the team down the stretch.
The combination of poor individual performance, star power and disappointing team results could very well have landed Verlander at the top of this list. However, the next man up is facing immense pressure in the one city where the spotlight is never off.
1. P CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
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Sabathia, the behemoth lefty who has been one of the game’s best for 14 seasons, may be nearing the end of the road in his impressive career.
The last three seasons have not been kind to Sabathia, as his ERA and win-to-loss ratio have crumbled:
| Year | Starts | Wins | Losses | ERA |
| 2013 | 32 | 14 | 13 | 4.78 |
| 2014 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5.28 |
| 2015 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 5.47 |
This is a startling trend that highlights his recent regression. This year's numbers are looking to be the worst of his career.
The New York Yankees are in a familiar spot in first place in the AL East, but that is despite Sabathia, who was counted upon to compensate for injuries to Masahiro Tanaka and Ivan Nova.
Sabathia is expected to return to the mound after the All-Star break after missing a couple of starts because of knee issues. If he fails to turn it around, the Yankees will definitely need to shop for a starter at the trade deadline. They may also have to consider moving Sabathia to the bullpen.
It would be a long fall from the top if he was removed from the rotation, but it may be necessary for New York’s playoff hopes.
Sabathia epitomizes what this list is about in regard to pressure. He is a star pitcher who has had a horrible season on a marquee team that is primed to make the playoffs for the first time in two years. If the Yankees blow their division lead and miss the postseason once more, the New York media will be all over Sabathia. There is no doubt he is under the most pressure of any player to rebound during the second half of this season.
All statistics and standings are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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