Each season breeds new life for players and teams around Major League Baseball. For some, the opportunity to have a fresh start is greater than for others. Whether injured or hindered from a season-long slump, many big league ballplayers are returning to the diamond in an effort to re-establish themselves among their peers and prove there’s still some gas left in the tank.
A year ago, Boston Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello and Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon rebounded from forgettable seasons to win the league’s Comeback Player of the Year awards. Who might be able to do similar things in 2017? Here are 10 players — five from each league — who could turn things around in 2017 after their seasons last year didn’t go as planned.
American League
5. Shin-Soo Choo (Texas Rangers)
Shin-Soo Choo has been nothing short of consistent since arriving from South Korea. He’s put up similar annual numbers throughout his career and has twice received votes for the AL MVP award. Despite that, he bounced around from team to team before landing with the Rangers in 2014.
In his second season in Texas, Choo put up some big numbers, including several career-bests. He hit 22 home runs, drove in 82 runs and batted .276/.375/.463. Unfortunately, that did not carry over into 2016, and Choo eventually found himself shut down for the year after suffering a fractured forearm. He appeared in only 48 games.
Now back and healthy, Choo wants to re-establish himself as a force in the Rangers’ lineup and has accepted the role of designated hitter. Early projections have him belting between 16-19 home runs, driving in 60-76 runs and batting around .270.
The numbers could, potentially, be better, but Choo will likely see fewer at-bats over the course of a season due to the inter-league schedule.
4. Pablo Sandoval (Boston Red Sox)
During his time with the San Francisco Giants, Pablo Sandoval was an All-Star and twice warranted discussion in the MVP race. But all that went out the window when he signed with the Red Sox in 2015 and proceeded to have his worst season since his rookie campaign.
The belief that was that a league switch and a new city were partially to blame and that Sandoval would rebound in 2016. But that didn’t happen, as he arrived to spring training overweight and then had his season cut short after only three games due to a shoulder injury.
The long road back for Sandoval could culminate in 2017. He’s rejoined the Red Sox in better shape, healthier, and wary of the pitfalls that have caught him in their net previously. Early projections have him belting between 11-14 home runs, driving in 52-64 runs and returning his batting average to respectability. But he’s entirely capable of much more than that.
3. Garrett Richards (Los Angeles Angels)
After a slow start to his career, Garrett Richards came on strong for the Angels in 2014, tossing over 165 innings with a 2.61 ERA en route to a 13-4 record. He also struck out nearly a batter per inning. And while that number dipped a bit in 2015, Richards eclipsed 200 innings for the first time in his career, posting a 15-12 record with a 3.65 ERA.
Expectations were that Richards would take the next step in his development in 2016, but that didn’t come to fruition. Richards suffered a torn ligament in his elbow, but opted to forego Tommy John surgery. Instead, he had biometrics surgery and ultimately appeared in only six games — although he looked quite good in those six games.
Richards now insists he’s been throwing without any pain or inflammation, and expectations are that he’ll return strong. Early projections have him throwing 160-plus innings this season and reaching double-digit wins for Los Angeles.
2. Michael Brantley (Cleveland Indians)
Michael Brantley had a remarkably average MLB career heading into the 2014 season, but then things turned on a dime. He belted 20 home runs, drove in nearly 100 runs, stole 23 bases, was named an All-Star for the first time, and finished third in the AL MVP race. He proceeded to follow that up with another strong campaign in 2015, again earning some consideration for the AL MVP award.
Unfortunately, a shoulder injury did him in a season ago. Brantley appeared in only 11 games, batting .231/.279/.282 and providing no other noteworthy production to speak of. He underwent two separate surgeries before being shut down for the year.
It’s unclear if Brantley will be in the Indians’ lineup when the season begins, but he’s looked good in spring training and the hope is that his injuries are behind him. Provided he can return in short order, early projections have him batting above .290 and belting 11-13 home runs, driving in 52-78 runs and stealing 10-12 bases. Of course, if he can play 130-plus games, chances are his numbers will eclipse the projections.
1. Mike Moustakas (Kansas City Royals)
Mike Moustakas had a slow but gradual climb up the MLB ranks over his first few seasons in the majors. Then, in 2015, everything seemed to click.
Moose set career-highs in literally every statistical category, earning his first All-Star nod and finishing 21st in AL MVP voting. To cap things off, he and his Royals teammates went on to knock off the New York Mets in the World Series, ending a 30-year championship drought for Kansas City.
Unfortunately, 2016 was not nearly as kind to Moustakas. He landed on the disabled list in early May and then, in only his second game back, collided with teammate Alex Gordon while chasing down a pop fly. During the collision, Moustakas suffered a torn ACL which effectively ended his season. He appeared in only 27 games, batting .240/.301/.500 with seven home runs and 13 RBIs.
While this slot could have just as easily gone for the aforementioned Alex Gordon, who had his worst season since 2010, a healthy Moustakas is primed to hit the cover off the ball. Projections have him belting 22-26 home runs and driving in 70-84 runs while also returning his batting average to respectability.
See the National League candidates on Page 2
National League
5. A.J. Pollock (Arizona Diamondbacks)
After a few seasons as a marginal role player for the Diamondbacks, A.J. Pollock was thrust into the starting lineup and he immediately ran with the opportunity. 2015 not only represented a career-best season for Pollock, but also put him on the radar of every MLB team.
In 157 games, Pollock batted .315/.367/.498 with 20 home runs, 76 RBIs, 111 runs scored and seven steals. That production yielded an All-Star nod and some votes for the NL MVP award. His defense also improved and he snagged a gold glove for his troubles.
But 2016 brought about different fortunes. Pollock suffered a broken elbow during spring training and only made it back to the field in late August. He went on to appear in 12 games and had very little statistical impact.
Coming back healthy in 2017, Pollock is expected to return to form for the Diamondbacks. Early projections have him belting 12-16 home runs, knocking in 43-75 runs and potentially batting over .290. The lower-end projections were compiled based on fewer plate appearances, so the higher-end projections are far more likely assuming Pollock can stay healthy.
4. Jason Heyward (Chicago Cubs)
Jason Heyward erupted onto the scene for the Atlanta Braves in 2010 as a highly thought of prospect who didn’t appear to miss a beat at the next level. He had power, a good eye at the plate, and defense that was improving yearly.
After five years with the Braves and a brief stint with the St. Louis Cardinals, Heyward joined the Cubs in 2016. And despite helping Chicago win their first World Series title in over 100 years, it wasn’t exactly a season to write home about for Heyward.
While he did walk away with the ultimate prize, his numbers diminished greatly. Heyward batted only .230/.306/.325 with seven home runs and 49 RBIs in 142 games. Save for his RBIs, each of those numbers represented career-lows. He did, however, remain strong defensively, winning his fourth gold glove award.
In 2017, Heyward and the Cubs expected a return to form, and most advanced analytics seem to agree. Early projections have Heyward hitting 12-13 home runs, driving in 58-64 runs and batting around .270, which is above his career average.
3. Matt Harvey (New York Mets)
Matt Harvey is no stranger to the Comeback Player of the Year award, having previously won it in 2015 after missing the entire 2014 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Accordingly, expectations were high entering the 2016 season, but that optimism was quickly dashed as Harvey looked like a shell of his former self. Over 17 starts, he allowed a WHIP of nearly 1.50 and sported a 4.86 ERA. He struck out only 76 batters over 92.2 innings, while allowing 111 hits and surrendering 25 walks.
Harvey had continued to struggle in spring training, but he finally seemed to get back on track in his latest outing. And although his potential production remains a bit of a toss-up, there’s reason to believe he could return to his 2015 form.
Early projections have Harvey winning up to 12 games with an ERA as high as 3.80 and as low as 3.30. And while those numbers may not seem earth-shattering, they represent some remaining optimism for a pitcher once considered among the best in the NL.
2. Zack Greinke (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Zack Greinke has long been a good pitcher, even winning the Cy Young award in 2009 with the Kansas City Royals. But things have not always been consistent for right-hander, which was the case again in 2016.
A year removed from posting a 19-3 record with a 1.66 ERA, Greinke joined the Diamondbacks and proceeded to fall apart. In 158.2 innings, he allowed 161 hits and gave up 43 walks. By season’s end, Greinke had compiled a record of 13-7 with a 4.37 ERA, which was the second-highest ERA of his major league career.
It certainly wasn’t what Arizona envisioned when signing him to a six-year, $206.5 million deal, but the hope remains that Greinke will return to form in 2017.
Although early projections don’t have Greinke even sniffing some of his former numbers, they do show the potential for marked improvement. The general consensus is that Greinke will win between 11-14 games while striking out between 153-186 and sporting an ERA under 3.85. Of course, there’s always that outside possibility that Greinke catches fire and returns to his Cy Young-caliber form.
1. Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Andrew McCutchen is a superstar. He’s one of the game’s best all-around players and dominates for a team that hasn’t had many players of his caliber in recent memory. Despite that, he had an unusual slump a season ago that could, in part, be blamed on trade rumors.
Whatever the reason (or reasons) may have been, it was an off year for an otherwise exciting player. McCutchen batted only .256/.336/.430, which were each career-lows, while driving in just 76 runs. The 76 RBI were his lowest since 2010, and he stole only six bases — a far cry from a player who had swiped 154 bases in his career entering last season.
Ultimately, McCutchen’s season was an enigma. A blip on the radar screen and something uncharacteristically out of the norm. And it’s for that very reason he should be considered a favorite to bounce back in 2017 and compete for the NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Early projections have McCutchen returning to the norm, batting above .280 with between 22-24 home runs and 80-92 RBI. They also have him stealing 10-plus bases on the season, while scoring between 82-93 runs. And based on everything McCutchen has done in his career outside of that down season in 2015, those numbers not only seem likely, but perhaps even a little low.
