Each MLB Team's Weakest Link in 2018
Every MLB team has a weakest link, from the top title contenders to the tanking basement-dwellers.
In some cases, it's a relatively minor issue. In others, it's the most glaring item on a long list of deficiencies. Let's identify one for all 30 clubs, based on stats, performance and injuries through May 9.
It's early, sure—but not too early to go hunting for potentially fatal flaws.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: Starting pitching
This was a tough call. The Baltimore Orioles are last in the American League in batting average (.226) and OPS (.664). Only the presence of superstar shortstop Manny Machado and his 1.034 OPS is keeping the O's from historic offensive futility.
That said, we can't ignore Baltimore's starting rotation, which sports an MLB-worst 5.64 ERA. Other than Kevin Gausman (3.30 ERA), no Orioles starter has an ERA lower than 4.84.
To put it simply: The Orioles aren't pitching, they aren't hitting and (hope you're sitting down) they're buried in last place in the AL East.
Boston Red Sox: Catcher offense
The Boston Red Sox's offense paces baseball with a .794 OPS. They haven't gotten much production from the catching position, however.
Christian Vazquez is slashing .194/.250/.237. Sandy Leon's line is an even more-anemic .171/.227/.244. If you think former top prospect Blake Swihart is the solution, he's hitting .160 and has caught just a single inning all season.
The Red Sox have gotten enough hitting from other places for this not to be a huge issue, but at some point one of their backstops needs to lift himself over the Mendoza Line.
New York Yankees: The back of the rotation
First, the good news for the New York Yankees starting rotation. Veteran southpaw CC Sabathia has turned back the clock with a 1.39 ERA. Right-hander Luis Severino sports a 2.21 ERA and has fanned 63 in 53 innings.
Now, the bad news. Despite some promising recent results, Sonny Gray's ERA sits at an unsightly 6.00. Masahiro Tanaka (4.66 ERA) has wobbled. And Jordan Montgomery is on the shelf with an elbow strain.
It's possible Tanaka and Gray will start pitching more like the top-tier hurlers they've been in the past and/or that Mongomery will return healthy, but for the moment the Yanks' starting corps is troublingly top-heavy.
Tampa Bay Rays: A lack of power
Last season, Logan Morrison (38 HR), Steven Souza Jr. (30 HR), Corey Dickerson (27 HR) and Evan Longoria (20 HR) were the top four fence-clearers on the Tampa Bay Rays.
All of them are with new teams in 2018, and the Rays—not surprisingly—have hit fewer home runs (32) than every team except the Detroit Tigers (31) and Miami Marlins (27).
Take away offseason acquisition C.J. Cron and his seven dingers, and Tampa Bay would be truly punchless.
Toronto Blue Jays: Starting pitching
Despite third baseman Josh Donaldson's balky shoulder, the Toronto Blue Jays offense ranks sixth in the game with 185 runs scored.
The rotation has been another story.
J.A. Happ (3.67 ERA) is the only Jays starter with an ERA under 4.00. Aaron Sanchez (4.14 ERA), Marco Estrada (5.21 ERA) and Jaime Garcia (5.40 ERA) have all struggled. Marcus Stroman, who dealt with shoulder inflammation this spring, totes a 7.71 ERA and has walked 18 in 37.1 innings.
"I have it in spurts and I just completely lose it at times so it's frustrating," Stroman said, per John Arlia of Sporting News. "I'm going to do everything in my power. I'll kill myself before I continue to go out there like this. I know that with my work ethic, I'm going to get back to where I need to be, hopefully soon."
For a Toronto team trying to maintain contact with the Red Sox and Yankees, soon can't come soon enough.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: Starting pitching
Chicago White Sox starting pitchers rank 29th in baseball with a 5.56 ERA. Other than 24-year-old Reynaldo Lopez (2.44 ERA , 31 SO, 44.1 IP), no ChiSox starter has distinguished himself.
Formerly touted right-hander Lucas Giolito has a 7.25 ERA with 21 strikeouts and 25 walks in 36 frames. James Shields, who is being paid $21 million this season ($11 million of it by the San Diego Padres, but still) has a 5.14 ERA.
That should increase calls for flame-throwing prospect Michael Kopech, who has struck out 11.4 per nine innings in six starts with Triple-A Charlotte.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn preached patience, however, indicating Kopech still needs to refine his changeup.
"There's development still to be done," Hahn said of Kopech, per MLB.com's Scott Merkin. "He knows it, and he's responding well to it and embracing it."
Cleveland Indians: The bullpen
When ace reliever Andrew Miller went down with a hamstring injury April 25, it was obvious the Cleveland Indians bullpen would suffer. Unfortunately for the Tribe, "suffer" doesn't quite cover it.
The Indians pen, once an indisputable strength, sports a 5.40 ERA, ahead of only the Kansas City Royals (more on them in a moment).
If and when Miller returns, things should get better. The Indians, though, may be leaning too heavily on closer Cody Allen, who has given up at least one earned run in three of his last five appearances and watched his ERA balloon from 0.00 to 3.60 in that span.
Detroit Tigers: A lack of power
The Detroit Tigers are rebuilding. You could argue they're tanking, though their 15-21 record is good enough for third place in the AL Central.
Either way, Detroit has displayed a notable dearth of pop in the early going.
The Tigers rank last in the Junior Circuit and 29th overall with 31 home runs. No Detroit hitter has more than five home runs. Veteran Miguel Cabrera's resurgent start was derailed by injury.
It's looking like a low-horsepower season in the Motor City.
Kansas City Royals: The bullpen
Kelvin Herrera has struck out 14 in 13.2 innings. He's converted seven of eight save opportunities and boasts a sparkling 0.66 ERA.
In other news: The Kansas City Royals bullpen is last in baseball with a 6.18 ERA. No, that's not a typo.
Assuming the Royals remain buried in the standings, Herrera is likely to depart by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. At that point, things might get uglier. Buckle up.
Minnesota Twins: Injuries
Every team deals with injuries, so citing that as a squad's weakest link might seem like a cop-out.
On the other hand, the Minnesota Twins are currently without the services of center fielder Byron Buxton (migraines and foot contusion), right-hander Ervin Santana (finger), third baseman Miguel Sano (hamstring) and catcher Jason Castro (knee).
All four were key contributors to the Twins' 2017 wild-card berth. At 15-17, Minnesota is one game behind Cleveland for the division lead.
In the mediocre AL Central, a return to health could propel the Twinkies back to the postseason.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: Left-handed relief
The defending champion Houston Astros don't have many flaws. The offense is deep. The starting pitching is stacked. The bullpen has acquitted itself nicely.
Speaking of the pen, however, the 'Stros have an eyebrow-raising lack of left-handed relief options.
Presently, the sole southpaw in Houston's relief contingent is 34-year-old Tony Sipp, whose 5.68 ERA leaves something to be desired.
There's no reason for the first-place Astros to panic yet, but this is an area they need to bolster if they want to embark on a legitimate title defense.
Los Angeles Angels: The bullpen
The Los Angeles Angels have been a remarkably balanced team in 2018. Two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani is largely living up to his advanced billing. The starting rotation, despite some hiccups, is holding its own. Mike Trout is Mike Trout—and he's got offensive backup.
The bullpen, meanwhile, is an area of possible concern.
Closer Keynan Middleton is working his way back from an elbow injury, which calls the 24-year-old's durability into question.
The Halos have other weapons in a pen that ranks 11th in baseball with a 3.63 ERA, but relievers other than Middleton have converted only two of seven save opportunities. Until Middleton returns and remains injury-free, the late-inning situation will be unsettled in Anaheim.
Oakland Athletics: Outfield offense
The Oakland Athletics have been surprisingly scrappy in the early going and entered play Thursday just one game under .500 at 18-19. If they want to contend, they need to get more offense from the outfield.
Stephen Piscotty (.248 AVG., .670 OPS) and Matt Joyce (.191 AVG., .672 OPS) have performed well below expectations. After a hot start, Mark Canha is hitting .214 with two extra-base hits in May.
Center field prospect Dustin Fowler, acquired from the Yankees in the Sonny Gray trade, made his Athletics debut Wednesday. The A's are no doubt hoping he'll provide a spark.
Seattle Mariners: Starting pitching depth
The Seattle Mariners are tied for seventh in MLB with a .745 OPS. They've hit enough. As for their starting pitching? It's a mixed bag.
James Paxton backed up a 16-strikeout performance against the A's with a no-hitter against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. He's emerging as a bona fide ace.
Overall, however, Mariners starters rank 24th with a 4.95 ERA. Most notably, Felix Hernandez has officially tumbled from his throne with a 5.28 ERA and 20 walks in 44.1 innings.
If Seattle wants to snap its 16-year postseason drought, it needs to get Paxton some reinforcements.
Texas Rangers: Strikeouts
The Texas Rangers are in last place in the AL West at 15-24. Like all last-place teams, they can point to multiple factors.
Here's one that jumps off the stat sheet: strikeouts.
Through 39 games, Texas hitters have whiffed an MLB-leading 385 times. Strikeouts carry less of a stigma in the modern era. Still, that's simply unsustainable.
First baseman/outfielder Joey Gallo has exemplified the team's swing-and-miss ways with a club-leading 52 strikeouts in 38 games, but it's a problem up and down the lineup.
"It is, right now, what we've got going on, and we've got to be better," manager Jeff Banister said, per Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram.
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National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: Youth
The Atlanta Braves have done almost everything well. Their offense is among the best in the game, and their bullpen and rotation have mostly been unsung assets. At 21-14, the Braves lead the NL East.
They are a young team, however, with rookies and inexperienced players occupying key roles all over the roster. Even for the likes of outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and second baseman Ozzie Albies, there will be growing pains.
Take their recent three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. Hobbled by injuries and inconsistency, San Francisco rolled into Atlanta, scored 24 runs and swept the Braves. Atlanta has since won two straight on the road.
The Braves are among the more compelling stories of 2018, but fans should buckle up for a feast-and-famine campaign.
Miami Marlins: Oh geez
Do we have to pick one?
The Miami Marlins are 26th in baseball with a 5.02 ERA. Offensively, they're last in average (.224), OPS (.626) and a host of other categories.
The offseason teardown engineered by the new ownership group has yielded predictably dreadful results and left intriguing but under-developed young players such as outfielder Lewis Brinson (.169/.228/.288 slash line) to flounder in futility.
It's going to be a long summer in South Beach.
New York Mets: Power
The New York Mets have enjoyed a pitching resurgence, thanks to a healthier starting rotation fronted by Norse-deity lookalike Noah Syndergaard.
In the batter's box, New York hasn't been godlike. Mets hitters rank in the bottom third in home runs (34), slugging percentage (.372) and OPS (.684).
They've scored two runs or fewer in seven of their last nine games. Third baseman Todd Frazier (hamstring) is on the disabled list, and slugger Yoenis Cespedes is nursing a sore quad.
To support their arms and return to the October stage, the Amazin's need to get healthy and hit more.
Philadelphia Phillies: Defense
Like Atlanta, the Philadelphia Phillies have shot out of the gate and appear to have kicked their rebuild into overdrive.
Their Achilles' heel thus far has been defense. The Phils are tied for fourth in MLB with 26 errors. FanGraphs rates them as the second-worst defensive team, ahead of only the San Diego Padres.
"What I'd submit is our defense has not been perfect," manager Gabe Kapler said, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. "From the eye test, just from watching in the dugout and looking at our guys, we can make more plays than we've made."
Washington Nationals: The bullpen
The Washington Nationals are on a quest to get past the division series and make a championship run in Bryce Harper's (probable) D.C. swan song.
To that end, they should shore up a bullpen that ranks 23rd with a 4.66 ERA and has blown five of 14 save opportunities.
A trade-deadline deal for, say, the Royals' Kelvin Herrera would be a prudent move, even if it costs the Nats top prospects not named Victor Robles.
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: Yu Darvish
Thus far, we haven't been singling out individual players. In the case of the Chicago Cubs and Yu Darvish, it's warranted.
After signing a six-year, $126 million contract with the Cubs, Darvish sports a 6.00 ERA and went on the disabled list on Monday, prompting David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune to refer to the right-hander as "Flu Darvish." Ouch.
The Cubbies have enough pitching and offense sans Darvish to compete for another Commissioner's Trophy. When an expensive free agent debuts this poorly, however, it cannot be ignored.
Cincinnati Reds: Starting pitching
The Cincinnati Reds are rebuilding-slash-tanking, which means losses sort of count as wins.
Still, it must be noted that their starting pitchers have amassed a 5.38 ERA, third-worst in MLB. Notably, 25-year-old right-hander Luis Castillo has failed to improve upon his 2017 breakout with a 6.47 ERA.
Will the arrival of troubled former Mets ace Matt Harvey via trade improve or muddy the picture? Considering Harvey's baggage, impending free agency and 7.00 ERA, bet on the latter.
Milwaukee Brewers: A lack of power
Slugger Eric Thames leapt off the starting blocks for the Milwaukee Brewers with seven home runs in April. But on April 27, he went down with a thumb injury that required surgery and could put him on the DL for up to two months.
That's bad news for a Brewers lineup that ranks 25th with a .378 slugging percentage.
In Thames' absence, lineup cogs including outfielders Ryan Braun (5 HR), Lorenzo Cain (4 HR) and Christian Yelich (3 HR) need to pick it up.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Lack of an ace
At 21-16, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been perhaps the biggest surprise of 2018. Somehow, they got temporarily better despite trading away their ace (Gerrit Cole) and franchise outfielder (Andrew McCutchen).
Here's a burning question, through: Who is the Bucs' new No. 1 starter?
Is it Trevor Williams, who was smacked around in his most recent start Wednesday against the White Sox? Is it Jameson Taillon, who has flashed at times but sports a 4.42 ERA? Is it Nick Kingham, who's currently marinating in the minors?
The Pirates are a fun early Cinderella. Whether they have the arms to hang with the top teams in the NL Central is another matter.
St. Louis Cardinals: Offensive oomph via Marcell Ozuna
The knock on the St. Louis Cardinals last season was that their lineup lacked a true difference-making bat.
To their credit, the Cards were aggressive this winter and engineered a trade for outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
Unfortunately, that swap has yet to yield the desired result. Through 32 games, Ozuna is slashing .246/.277/.328 and the Cardinals collectively rank 24th with a .698 OPS.
Ozuna is a 27-year-old two-time All-Star who could catch fire at any moment. Until he does, St. Louis' lineup will be stuck on simmer.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: Offensive balance
After claiming the top NL wild-card position in 2017, the Arizona Diamondbacks lead the National League West at 24-12 even though they're missing contributions from key performers on offense.
Center fielder A.J. Pollock has shouldered much of the load with 11 home runs and a 1.034 OPS. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, meanwhile, is hitting a scant .227.
"It's just part of the game," Goldschmidt said of his struggles, per AZCentral.com's Greg Moore. "Luckily, we've been doing good. It's not about me. I just go out there and try to help us win."
At some point, Goldy presumably should return to his MVP-contending self, which will be great news for Arizona and bad news for all opponents.
Colorado Rockies: A surprising lack of offense
Even when they're bad, the Colorado Rockies are supposed to hit the ball. That's the nature of playing half of your games at Mile High altitude, humidor be damned.
So far, however, Colorado hitters rank 23rd in OPS (.699) and 26th in average (.228).
Third baseman Nolan Arenado (.322 AVG, 1.024 OPS) and center fielder Charlie Blackmon (.281 AVG, .966 OPS) are doing their part, but the Rockies need to hit more—period.
Los Angeles Dodgers: A power outage
Losing shortstop Corey Seager to Tommy John surgery was a massive blow to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The rest of the lineup has failed to fill the void, with Yasiel Puig and his .217/.270/.272 slash line serving as an instructive example.
The Dodgers rank 16th in batting average (.244), but they have particularly suffered in the power department. They're tied for No. 21 in slugging percentage (.392), and their 32 homers put them ahead of only the Tigers (31) and Marlins (27).
We noted that same fact about the Rays. The Dodgers, who marched to Game 7 of the World Series in 2017, don't want to be compared to the Rays.
San Diego Padres: Defense
The Padres have flaws all over. They're young. They're rebuilding. They're tanking.
FanGraphs ranks the Friars as the worst defensive team in baseball, so we'll train our focus there. The Pads need to get better at catching the ball.
We could also note they're 21st in team ERA (4.35) despite playing in a pitchers' park and 28th in OPS (.665), but that would feel like piling on.
San Francisco Giants: The starting rotation
The San Francisco Giants have been serviceable on offense one season after they finished last in MLB in home runs and OPS. They currently rank 12th with a .251 average.
Their starting rotation, on the other hand, has been decimated by injuries to ace Madison Bumgarner (finger) and right-hander Johnny Cueto (elbow) as well as ineffectiveness from Jeff Samardzija.
Bumgarner is working his way back and Cueto has avoided the dreaded Tommy John diagnosis for now. Until both return healthy, however, the Giants' starting five will be held together with chewing gum and a prayer.
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