6 Most Disappointing Players of 2019 MLB Season So Far
By Jared Kish
Some of the world's best baseball players have the worst of days. It's easy to have a rough outing in a game, but for some players with high expectations, their struggles have lasted all year long. With their respective teams counting on them to perform, some studs have yet to live up to the billing. Here are the six most disappointing players of the 2019 season so far.
1. Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper hasn't nearly lived up to the hype after signing his massive 13-year deal this offseason. Since coming to Philadelphia, Harper is batting .235 with 9 homers, and 31 RBI. Philly faithful are starting to get restless with the outfielder, and he needs to pick up his production if he wants to stop hearing boos at Citizens Bank Park.
2. Chris Sale
Who would ever think that two months into the regular season Chris Sale would have a record of 1-5? After starting the season poorly Sale has pitched better of late but he is not the dominant lefty we've grown accustomed to seeing on the mound. Sale has an ERA of 4.31, the highest figure of his career, but has managed to strike out 83 batters across 56.1 innings pitched. The stuff is still there, but Sale has already surrendered 9 home runs through 10 starts, after giving up 11 homers in 27 starts last season.
3. Madison Bumgarner
MadBum, just like Sale, has been struggled to start off the 2019 campaign. Bumgarner has a 3-4 record with a 4.10 ERA, and has surrendered a National League worst 68 hits. He does play on a terrible Giants team, but even he isn't making things better, registering a -0.1 WAR through his first 11 starts. Bumgarner has not been elite by any means, but he still has time to bounce back before the trade deadline, when he is expected to be dealt from The Bay.
4. Jose Altuve
Its been close to two weeks since Jose Altuve hit the injured list for the Astros. Even when Altuve was on the field for Houston he has not been his typical scrappy self. The Astros second basemen is only batting .243 this year, despite increased power resulting in 9 home runs. He's not as active on the base paths either, having just 1 stolen base. Before hitting the IL, Altuve was only batting .180 in his previous 15 games. This is certainly not the Astros second basemen we've seen over the years.
5. Joey Votto
Joey Votto is known for getting on base and being a bright spot on a typically meager Reds team. Well, that's not how things have played out this season, as the Reds first basemen is sporting a batting average of just .208 and has just 4 homers and 8 RBI through 46 games. Votto's career batting average is about .300 but he isn't showing that he can produce much offensively. His -0.2 WAR is representative of a veteran past his prime, and maybe that's what Votto has become.
6. Jose Ramirez
The Indians star was expected to carry much of the team's weight offensively this year, but that hasn't been the case. Ramirez has a paltry .602 OPS this season, and has hit just 4 homers and collected 15 RBI. After a near-MVP season in 2018, JoRam has far from been a catalyst in Cleveland this year. He's still effective on the base paths, as he's stolen 12 bags this year, but for someone who was expected to lead the charge, Ramirez has taken a back seat.