With only a month to go in the MLB season, there have been a lot of breakthrough statistical years for star players in 2021. There have also been those who were expected to perform at a high level and have really regressed. That’s why, today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the five star players who have been nothing but disappointing this year.
Here are five of the biggest stars that are looking forward to a clean slate next year.
2B DJ LeMahieu
One of the biggest reasons the Yankees have struggled in 2021, is because their lead off man has fallen back down to earth. LeMahieu raked last year for an OPS+ of 179 and was the batting champion with a .364 batting average. This season, the Yanks second baseman currently has a slash line of .266/.347.363 for an OPS+ of 98, two points below the league average.
SS Francisco Lindor
After a horrible start to the season, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has started to put it all together, but the former Indians star is still going to finish with a poor season by his standards.
Lindor only has a batting average of .227, which is pretty bad considering the Mets signed him to a ridiculous 10-year, $341 million extension in the offseason.
It also hasn’t helped that Lindor was involved in the “thumbs down” scandal with Mets fans. Lindor was booed hard in the first half of the season and will need to prove himself next year.
3B Anthony Rendon
Rendon is still in the prime of his career at 31, but has slumped massively in 2021. The Halos third baseman is only hitting .240/.329/.382 after finishing with an OPS+ above 150 the two seasons prior.
If Rendon can return to form, the trio of himself, Shohei Ohtani, and a healthy Mike Trout will cause serious damage in 2022.
SP Dallas Keuchel
Keuchel has been one of the best southpaws in the American League for the last few years and finished fifth in Cy Young voting in 2020.
This season has been a disaster for the 33-year-old. However, as he possesses an ERA of 5.13 and a WHIP of 1.45, which is his worst since 2013.
Although the White Sox have Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon in the rotation, Keuchel needs to pitch better if Chicago wants to go far in the postseason.
OF Cody Bellinger
The former NL MVP has been a shell of himself in 2021, batting below the Mendoza line for a paltry OPS+ of 46. Although he was injured to begin the year and still isn’t 100%, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Bellinger may not be an everyday player in the postseason.
Maybe that speaks to how loaded the Dodgers lineup is, but it also goes to show that the Dodgers outfielder may not be as good as we initially thought he was.
Coming off his MVP year in 2019, Bellinger slashed .239/.333./455 in 2020, and currently holds a batting average of .162 this season.
