Biggest MLB Duds of Week 16, Position by Position

Production often fluctuates in baseball. From week to week, players battle the best talent in the world, trying to maintain a level of consistency and help their teams win. 

But no player is immune to a slump. So fantasy lovers, gather around and take a peak at MLB's biggest duds of the past week. 

The All-Star break is a great time for players to recharge their batteries for the daunting second half, but it often leads to struggles out of the gates. Baseball players are creatures of habit, and having multiple days off can affect their play. 

We've seen that over the last seven days with various players. Hanley Ramirez, Lucas Duda, Evan Longoria, Matt Wieters and a host of other talented major leaguers haven't been right since returning to their respective teams. 

Over the next few slides, we'll identify those duds and try to diagnose why each player has struggled over the past week. 

Make sure to leave your comments in the section below. Are you worried about a player on your favorite team? What makes you think he'll be able to snap out of a recent rough patch?

Let's get started!

Starting Pitcher

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Doug Fister could be out of a starting role if his struggles continue.

Doug Fister

With two horrible starts this week and the emergence of youngster Joe Ross, is Doug Fister's job in the Washington Nationals' rotation in jeopardy?

It very well may be. Fister has been awful this week, posting a 7.20 ERA. In his last two outings, the right-hander has allowed 18 total hits and eight earned runs. 

Michael Pineda 

Michael Pineda has been the most reliable starter in a shaky New York Yankees rotation, but he hasn't been able to maintain that consistency over the past week.

Pineda is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA in two starts this week. The right-hander has dominated at times this season, but he was able to strike out just six of the batters he faced in those outings. 

Anthony DeSclafani

The Cincinnati Reds have given young right-hander Anthony DeSclafani every opportunity to prove himself in 2015, and he's pitched fairly well considering his inexperience. 

That good work took a detour this past week, however, as DeSclafani was roughed up in two starts. The 25-year-old allowed 15 hits and nine earned runs in those outings.

Relief Pitcher

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Neftali Feliz has had a rough start to his career with the Tigers.

Neftali Feliz

The Detroit Tigers recently decided to take a chance on former Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz, but the organization has to be contemplating that decision after a rough outing this week. 

Feliz appeared in three games for the Tigers, surrendering five hits and five earned runs. All of those runs came in a July 21 appearance against the Seattle Mariners. 

J.R. Graham 

J.R. Graham has been a useful piece for the Minnesota Twins bullpen this season, but he could be in danger of falling down the ranks after a sloppy week. 

The right-hander logged 2.1 innings on July 19 and allowed five hits and four earned runs. Due to that shelling, Graham's ERA rose to 3.53. 

John Axford

The Colorado Rockies haven't had much go right this season, but a bounce-back season from John Axford has been one of the silver linings. 

Axford's good work took a turn over the past week. In three appearances, the right-hander posted a 13.50 ERA and blew two saves. Axford's issues seemed to come from a lack of control, as he walked five hitters in 2.2 innings.

Catcher

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Matt Wieters' dip in form has coincided with a plummeting record for the Baltimore Orioles.

Matt Wieters

Catcher Matt Wieters has endured through a rough week, and the Baltimore Orioles continue to fall out of the American League East.

Wieters is just 2-for-19 over the last seven days, and his .105 average is the worst mark among big league catchers. The 29-year-old also struck out four times, raising his strikeout rate to 26.3 percent for the season. 

With little offensive production from Wieters and other important pieces, the O's are now seven games back of the New York Yankees. 

Brian McCann

Speaking of the New York Yankees, Brian McCann hasn't returned from the All-Star break in his best form. 

McCann is just 2-for-15 over the last week to go with zero RBI. The 31-year-old has dealt with his own strikeout issues, whiffing five times in five games. 

Stephen Vogt

Unlike the other two names on this list, Stephen Vogt has been able to steer away from the strikeout over the last week. 

But Vogt's contact has yielded disappointing results. The Oakland A's backstop is 3-for-18, with all three of those hits coming in the form of singles. 

First Base

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The Mets are relying on Lucas Duda in the middle of their lineup, but he struggled mightily over the last week.

Lucas Duda

The last thing an anemic New York Mets offense can afford is an extensive slump from Lucas Duda. 

But the powerful slugger hasn't contributed much of anything over the past week. Duda is 6-for-28 and ranks second among MLB first basemen with 10 strikeouts.  

James Loney

The Tampa Bay Rays are another team that cannot afford to have one of its most reliable hitters struggle for an extended period of time. 

Unfortunately, James Loney has hit the skids since the beginning of the week. The 31-year-old is just 3-for-21, and his .143 average is the second-lowest mark among players at the position. 

Loney's 10 percent hard-contact rate is also the lowest percentage over that span.  

Ryan Howard

Ryan Howard enjoyed a brief resurgence earlier this season, but his numbers have returned to the totals we've become accustomed to seeing as the year has progressed. 

Over the past week, Howard is tied for the third-lowest average among first basemen and is now hitting .223 on the season. 

Second Base

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Since returning from the All-Star break, Kolten Wong is one of a handful of scuffling second basemen.

Kolten Wong

After a tremendous first half, many felt that Kolten Wong was one of the All-Star Game's most notable snubs.

But Wong hasn't looked All-Star-caliber over the past week. The St. Louis Cardinals second baseman is 5-for-29, and his .172 average is the third-worst mark among second basemen. 

Wong has also whiffed six times, which is out of character for a player with little swing-and-miss in his game. 

Jedd Gyorko

Add Jedd Gyorko to the list of underachieving San Diego Padres. 

Gyro posted an abysmal .105 over the last week and struck out five times. The 26-year-old had issues hitting the ball in the air this week, posting alarming fly-ball and pop-up rates.

Jonathan Schoop

The Baltimore Orioles need all hands on deck in order to save their season, but Jonathan Schoop has done little to help the cause with his recent play. 

Schoop has just three hits in six games and has struck out eight times. That lack of plate discipline has lowered his walk-to-strikeout ratio to 0.10.

When Schoop has made contact, he's generated the third-highest soft-contact percentage among second basemen.

Shortstop

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Starlin Castro is playing his way out of Chicago.

Starlin Castro

Starlin Castro's future with the Chicago Cubs was already uncertain before the 2015 season, but a nightmare campaign may have sealed his fate.

Castro has provided little confidence of a turnaround in recent games. He's 3-for-27 over the past week with just one extra-base hit and six strikeouts. 

After a promising start to his career, the 25-year-old has posted a -0.9 WAR this season. 

Nick Ahmed

Nick Ahmed is best known for his dependable glovework, but a complete lack of offensive ability cannot go unnoticed. 

Over the past week, Ahmed is just 1-for-17 in six games. His three strikeouts are no problem, but his .282 OPS won't get the job done.  

Brad Miller

The Seattle Mariners have been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2015 MLB season. Shortstop Brad Miller wasn't much of a help in the first half and has begun the second half in even uglier fashion. 

Miller's .067 average over the past week is only created by a lowly single, and he's fanned four times in those games. 

Third Base

Associated Press

Evan Longoria's slump couldn't have come at a worse time for the Rays.

Evan Longoria 

The Tampa Bay Rays have struggled to keep up with the New York Yankees in the AL East due in large part to a subpar offense. 

Longtime third baseman Evan Longoria has been a huge reason for a lack of thump in recent games. Longoria is hitting .167 over the past week and has just one RBI in six games. 

Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant's first taste of the major leagues went according to plan over the first half, with an All-Star Game appearance and NL Rookie of the Year front-runner status under his belt. 

But Bryant has run into some issues since returning to the Chicago Cubs. He has the second-worst average among third basemen over the last week and has struck out more than anyone at the position. 

An alarming 5.6 percent line-drive rate is an obvious reason for Bryant's drop in average. 

Jake Lamb

Jake Lamb is a talented youngster trying to prove his future worth to the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Although he's had a solid season, Lamb has seen a dip in his production over the past week. The 24-year-old is just 5-for-21 with six K's in seven games. 

Lamb may just be experiencing a rash of bad luck, as he's hitting the ball hard 31.7 percent of the time in July.

Left Field

Associated Press

Hanley Ramirez has been awful in the field, but his performance at the plate has been just as bad this week.

Hanley Ramirez

After inking a lucrative contract this offseason, Hanley Ramirez's transition to left field for the Boston Red Sox can hardly be classified as smooth.

Despite his struggles with the Green Monster, Ramirez has remained a formidable bat in the middle of the Boston lineup. That was until this past week, however, as the 31-year-old has posted a .240 average. 

Ramirez's 31.6 percent soft-contact rate also ranks second-worst among MLB left fielders over the last week.  

Brett Gardner

The New York Yankees have built a commanding lead in the AL East, and Brett Gardner should be considered the team's MVP so far this season.

Gardner, however, has fallen on tough times during a disappointing weeklong stretch. The outfielder is hitting only .150 and has scored just three runs in six games this week.

Gregor Blanco 

The San Francisco Giants have dealt with inconsistent play from their outfield all season long. 

After a fantastic first half, Gregor Blanco seems to have taken up after his teammates. Blanco is only 3-for-16 on the week. 

But don't worry, Giants fans—Blanco is still hitting .296 even with an ugly past week. 

Center Field

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Michael Taylor's strikeouts were out of control this past week.

Mookie Betts

Ramirez isn't the only Boston Red Sox outfielder scuffling in recent times, as center fielder Mookie Betts has been among the worst hitters in baseball over the past week. 

During that span, Betts' .167 average is tied for the fifth-lowest mark among MLB center fielders. The 22-year-old struggled due in large part to a pop-up rate over 20 percent. 

Lorenzo Cain

Lorenzo Cain has struggled to regain his form after an American League All-Star Appearance.

Cain hit .200 over the last week with just two extra-base hits. But considering his 38.1 percent hard contact rate, Cain's struggles could be short-lived. 

Jake Marisnick

The Houston Astros are in the midst of a fantastic battle atop the AL West with the Los Angeles Angels. 

As the second half progresses, Jake Marisnick could be an Astro who sees his playing time decrease if his slump at the plate continues. That has hasn't happened this week, as the 24-year-old is 3-for-20 with seven strikeouts in six games.

Right Field

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After leading the Twins to a fantastic first half, Torii Hunter hasn't been as effective in the second half.

Avisail Garcia 

Avisail Garcia was a potential breakout candidate before the season began, but the Chicago White Sox slugger hasn't been able to make a significant impact in 2015. 

Garcia has especially struggled over the past week. The 24-year-old has just four hits in his last 24 at-bats, and his .167 average ranks second-lowest among major league right fielders. 

A tendency to chase bad pitches has burned Garcia. He's swung 55.1 percent of the time on pitches outside of the zone, which has led to nine strikeouts over the last week. 

Yasiel Puig

Trade Yasiel Puig? It's doubtful, but there have been rumors of the sort with the deadline approaching.  

While unlikely, that speculation could be affecting Puig's recent performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In seven games this week, Puig is hitting .136 with seven Ks. 

Puig has seen a significant dip in his line-drive rate this week, which has likely played into his unimpressive average. 

Torii Hunter 

Torii Hunter has been the catalyst for 2015's most surprising team. The Minnesota Twins would be sunk without the production of one of the organization's all-time greats. 

But Hunter has run into a bit of a wall over the past week. In five games, he's hitting just .182 with six strikeouts.

Hunter's average on balls in play has suffered due to a hike in soft-contact percentage.

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of July 26.