Exposing MLB's Worst Players of the 1st Half
Major League Baseball is fresh off displaying the best, brightest players from the 2018 season's first half.
On the other end of the spectrum, meanwhile, are the worst and dimmest.
We'll honor pay homage to give an awkward hello to the worst MLB players from the first half at 12 positions: all nine lineup spots (including designated hitter), one starting pitcher, one right-handed relief pitcher and one left-handed relief pitcher.
To qualify for consideration, players must have had either 200 plate appearances, 10 starts or 25 relief appearances. From there, the worst were identified by averaging (as of Monday, July 16) their wins above replacement from Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.
Let's rag on some guys.
Catcher: Pedro Severino, Washington Nationals
1 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-0.9
To be fair to Pedro Severino, he wasn't supposed to be "the guy" behind the plate for the Washington Nationals this season. The 24-year-old was pressed into duty by way of Matt Wieters' oblique and hamstring injuries.
So, it's not the biggest shock that no catcher has been more in over his head.
Before the Nationals finally optioned him to the minors July 9, Severino put up a .171/.256/.254 slash line over 203 plate appearances. That translates to a 36 OPS+, which is by far the lowest of any catcher who's made at least 200 trips to the plate.
Severino served one purpose on defense by gunning down 34 percent of would-be base stealers. But he didn't light up defensive metrics despite that, and his teammates may not rush to debunk that notion.
According to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, veteran left-hander Gio Gonzalez tended to show "visible frustrations" with Severino. Other pitchers "mentioned misunderstandings" with both Severino and fellow young catcher Spencer Kieboom.
All told, Severino hasn't been much more than a warm body.
First Base: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
2 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-2.4
Although the 2018 season is only halfway finished, Chris Davis has already clinched one of the worst seasons in MLB history. Per Baseball Reference, he's one of only 39 hitters to get at least 300 plate appearances and sink to minus-2.5 WAR.
Such is life when a once-mighty bat goes silent.
At his peak in 2013, Davis put up a 1.004 OPS and led MLB with 53 home runs. Now he's down to a .506 OPS and nine home runs. Factor in how his home ballpark is supposed to be an extreme hitter's environment, and you get a 41 OPS+ that's the lowest of any batting-title qualifier.
This is a once-mighty slugger whose power output has careened below the MLB average. He's also striking out a ton and rarely taking walks. Per the metrics, he's even declined on defense.
Davis, 32, was bound to hit a wall like this at some point. The tragedy for the Baltimore Orioles is that it's happening in only the third season of his seven-year, $161 million contract.
Second Base: Eduardo Nunez, Boston Red Sox
3 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-0.9
Eduardo Nunez made his first All-Star team two years ago. And after a modest start with the San Francisco Giants in 2017, he was arguably the Boston Red Sox's best player following a July trade.
All that's left is a husk of a once-solid player.
Nunez has played in 81 games and put up a career-low 72 OPS+ over 326 plate appearances. Per his minus-12 defensive runs saved, he's also been one of MLB's worst defenders at second base.
Perhaps most shocking of all, the 31-year-old has stolen only four bases after swiping 64 across 2016 and 2017. That reflects his declining speed. After sprinting at an average of 27.9 feet per second in 2017, he's down to 27.4 in 2018.
However, let's be fair: Nunez screwed up his right knee toward the end of the 2017 season. Nobody wants to come out and say it, but it's apparent he's not fully recovered.
If nothing else, that's good news for Detroit's Dixon Machado. If Nunez couldn't take the field, Machado and his minus-0.5 average WAR would occupy this spot.
.png?w=256)
Third Base: Luis Valbuena, Los Angeles Angels
4 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-0.6
Nobody expects Luis Valbuena to be a star. But you're supposed to at least get a bit of power, a bit of patience and competent defense at both infield corners.
The Los Angeles Angels have gotten none of these things out of the 32-year-old in 2018.
Despite enjoying a near-constant platoon advantage, Valbuena has mustered just a .204/.250/.344 slash line and a 64 OPS+ in 268 plate appearances. His strikeouts are way up. His walks are way down. And his power has evaporated.
Because Albert Pujols has returned to semi-regular duty at first base, Valbuena's glove has mostly been needed at third base. That's tended to be the weaker of his two primary positions. Per his minus-three DRS, that's been the case in 2018.
Although Zack Cozart's season-ending shoulder injury and Pujols' knee inflammation should open more playing time for Valbuena in theory, the Angels have pivoted toward David Fletcher and Jefry Marte. As such, Valbuena's days in Anaheim may be numbered.
Shortstop: Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals
5 of 12
Average WAR: Minus-1.5
Alcides Escobar is past 30 and hasn't been a useful player since at least 2015. Nonetheless, the Kansas City Royals saw fit to re-sign him to a one-year, $2.5 million deal last winter.
This gamble is going about as well as anyone could have expected.
Escobar hasn't experienced Davis levels of futility at the plate, but his .199/.247/.275 slash line equates to a 44 OPS+ that comes close. He remains tough to strike out, but he hits the ball at an average of just 84 mph. Thus, his power is practically nonexistent, and nobody walks him.
The 31-year-old is also well past his prime as a baserunner and a defender. He peaked with 35 stolen bases in 2012 but has swiped only four this year. His DRS is minus-13, which is way down from his pinnacle of plus-10 in 2011.
The Royals can't be blamed for giving Adalberto Mondesi more exposure at shortstop recently. They can, however, be questioned for why they didn't do that from the beginning.
Left Field: Trey Mancini, Baltimore Orioles
6 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-1.0
Albeit in Aaron Judge and Andrew Benintendi's shadows, Trey Mancini had an excellent rookie year in 2017. He played in 147 games and mashed 24 homers with a 120 OPS+.
Instead of improving, the 26-year-old has gone cold.
Through 366 plate appearances, Mancini owns just a .216/.292/.363 slash line and an 82 OPS+. He's hitting the ball harder on average (89.6 mph) than he did in 2017, but too much of that effort is going to waste on ground balls.
Per his minus-16 DRS, Mancini also rates as one of the worst defenders at any position. While this is out of step with how he played in 2017, it's more indicative of what he brings on defense. He's neither a fast runner nor a strong thrower. Without these skills, it's hard to be much of an outfielder.
Given that they're 41 games under .500, the Orioles might as well keep running Mancini out there and hope he can recapture his 2017 magic. If not, last year's breakout may prove to be little more than his 15 minutes.
Center Field: Lewis Brinson, Miami Marlins
7 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-0.2
Lewis Brinson has one thing going for him: He's a heck of a defensive center fielder.
That's according to his plus-eight DRS, anyway, and the eye test backs it up. The 24-year-old has the speed to cover ground and the arm strength to punish reckless baserunners.
Now, if only he could hit.
Brinson has had 311 plate appearances in his rookie year with the Miami Marlins, and all they've amounted to is a 59 OPS+. That's fourth-worst among batting-title qualifiers.
Although he's been making more frequent contact as the year has moved along, Brinson has struck out in 30.2 percent of his plate appearances. To boot, 52.6 percent of his batted balls have been on the ground. That's a double-whammy of wasted at-bats.
More recently, injury was added to insult. Brinson is on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his hip. It could be some time before he can return from that.
Right Field: Dexter Fowler, St. Louis Cardinals
8 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-1.3
Dexter Fowler is another guy who deserves a small measure of sympathy.
He's added to his long list of run-ins with the injury bug this year, and it's an open secret that the St. Louis Cardinals haven't exactly been in his corner. John Mozeliak, the team's president of baseball operations, wondered aloud about Fowler's effort level. According to Mark Saxon of The Athletic, Fowler and now-former manager Mike Matheny weren't even on speaking terms.
Even for a 32-year-old veteran such as Fowler, this is a tough situation to handle. It's fair to guess that most other players would also struggle if they found themselves in his shoes.
Still, there's no denying Fowler has struggled.
The .176/.270/.297 slash line through 274 plate appearances comes out to a 55 OPS+. That's by far his worst mark since 2010, as well as one of the worst marks in MLB this season. Meanwhile, he's proving to be only marginally better in right field than he was in center field.
All told, it sounds like somebody needs a change of scenery.
Designated Hitter: Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers
9 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-1.7
As a designated hitter, Victor Martinez's only job is to hit. And this is something he once excelled at.
But in 2018, he's become fodder for the "you had one job" meme.
The Detroit Tigers have allowed the 39-year-old to make 326 plate appearances, and the return on that investment includes a .231/.282/.304 slash line and a 60 OPS+. The latter mark is already one of the worst ever for a primary DH.
The problem isn't that Martinez has lost his ability to give pitchers a good battle. To wit, he's walked (22) nearly as often as he's struck out (32).
But he's been one of MLB's least powerful hitters. That's partially related to how he can't leg out doubles anymore, but it's more so a result of how his average exit velocity is down from a peak of 90 mph to just 87.4 mph.
On the bright side, he's in the final stretch of his four-year, $68 million deal.
Starting Pitcher: Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds
10 of 12
Average WAR: Minus-0.9
It's been a while since Homer Bailey last took the hill for the Cincinnati Reds. His 12th (and potentially final) start of 2018 happened May 28.
Those 12 starts, though...hoo boy.
Altogether, the veteran right-hander compiled a 6.68 ERA and a 62 ERA+. The latter checks in as the worst of anyone who's made at least 10 starts. The park-adjusted version of fielding independent pitching also rates Bailey as the worst starter of 2018.
That gets at how Bailey did nothing to minimize his risk of getting torched. In 62 innings, he had only 14 more strikeouts (38) than walks (24). He also allowed 15 home runs.
Not so coincidentally, Bailey's fastball velocity is far from what it used to be. He couldn't throw the ball by hitters, much less jam them upon contact.
Bailey has been on the DL since June with knee inflammation. Once he returns, he's probably ticketed for Cincinnati's bullpen.
Right-Handed Reliever: Bryan Shaw, Colorado Rockies
11 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-1.0
Bryan Shaw was one of baseball's most reliable relievers between 2011 and 2017, in which he racked up a 135 ERA+ over 475 appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians.
So, the Colorado Rockies weren't guilty of bad judgment when they inked Shaw to a three-year, $27 million contract this past winter. It was a worthwhile gamble.
It just hasn't worked out.
The 30-year-old has taken the ball 43 times and coughed up a 7.23 ERA. The Coors Field adjustment brings that down to a 66 ERA+, which is the worst among all qualified relievers by a whopping 12 points.
Shaw's strikeout and ground-ball rates are fine. But such things don't count for much when you're walking 5.1 batters and allowing 1.9 home runs per nine innings.
Shaw's first order of business should be re-establishing his wayward cutter. If he can't do that, his nightmare season will continue.
Left-Handed Reliever: Brian Duensing, Chicago Cubs
12 of 12
WAR Average: Minus-0.7
Brian Duensing was a rare bright spot in the Chicago Cubs' shaky 2017 bullpen. He put up a 2.74 ERA in 68 appearances, thus earning a two-year, $7 million contract.
In 2018, he's been a dark spot on an otherwise shiny pen.
The 35-year-old left-hander has struggled in every way in his 37 appearances. Through 27.1 innings, he's walked more batters (22) than he's struck out (18) and served up three home runs. His 64 ERA+ is even worse than Shaw's.
Much of the damage has come recently. After posting a 0.54 ERA through his first 23 appearances, Duensing has given up 19 earned runs in only 10.2 innings over his last 14 assignments.
In theory, the best way for the Cubs to get Duensing back on track would be to use him exclusively against left-handed batters. But he's already enjoyed the platoon advantage more often than usual, and lefties have handled him well anyway. They've gotten to him for a .688 OPS and two homers.
In lieu of that, the Cubs' only option may be to cross their fingers.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, Baseball Savant and Brooks Baseball.
.png?w=480)
