Player Profiles
Measuring Vlad Jr’s breakout against Vlad Sr’s
In an Ohtani-less world, Vladito is the MVP, but how does his breakout measure up against his old man’s own coming out party?
Triston McKenzie had arrived just before his departure
Shoulder fatigue be damned, Triston McKenzie was the breakout star of the second half of 2021.
LaMonte Wade Jr. reinvented himself
LWJ added power without losing discipline.
Bryan Reynolds has quietly returned to form
A small glimmer of hope in an otherwise lost year for Pittsburgh. Again.
Touki Toussaint appears to be figuring it out
Surging Atlanta is getting plenty of help from one of their young, but volatile, arms.
The logistics of moving Fernando Tatis, Jr. to the outfield
While it wouldn’t be unprecedented, a potential move to the outfield could make the Padres’ lineup construction very murky.
For Lewis Brinson, patience pays off
Brinson has been red-hot since the All-Star break.
Jonathan India may be the best second baseman in baseball
After a slow start to his rookie campaign, the Reds’ second baseman is not only the front runner for NL Rookie of the Year, but might be the best second baseman in the game.
What are the Dodgers going to do with David Price?
They have essentially turned him into a $30 million swing man.
Is Harrison Bader’s offensive breakout real?
The glove-first centerfielder is experiencing easily his best season at the plate.
Cody Bellinger is lost
Bellinger has been below average the last two calendar years.
Where has Christian Yelich’s power gone?
Despite Milwaukee running away with the division title, their star outfielder hasn’t been the same player in 2021.
Introducing the Kumar Rocker Society
The Mets got the steal of the 2021 draft.
Carlos Correa is at the top of his game
He could not have chosen a more perfect time to play the best baseball of his career
Steven Duggar’s emergence gives the Giants good problems
Duggar survived a roster crunch thanks to his excellent play. Can he keep it up?
Cavan Biggio struggling to keep up with the legacies
Of the three prominent second-generation ballplayers in Toronto, it’s Biggio that is having trouble living up to his pops.
Willy Adames is emerging as a top tier shortstop
The Brewers shortstop has increased his offensive production since being traded to Milwaukee
Kenley Jansen is both better and worse than ever
Jansen has added velocity and spin at the expense of knowing where the hell the ball is going.
Jacob deGrom is throwing a lot more fastballs and it’s working
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has made a change, but not the type of change you might expect
Deivi García can crack Yankees rotation
With the injury to Corey Kluber, Deivi García just needs to keep the walks under control to get a starting job.
Tim Anderson is defying statistical reason
As exciting as he is, the numbers tell us that the White Sox shortstop should be...nowhere near this good. But he is!
Richard Rodríguez is simplifying and thriving
Rodríguez has a tremendous slider that he hasn’t needed to throw.
Madison Bumgarner is not washed
After being one of the worst pitchers in the majors, Bumgarner is looking like his old self.
Is Carson Kelly’s offensive emergence real?
The Arizona backstop has been one of the league’s best hitters to start the year, but how much of it is sustainable?
Dylan Cease is making the right adjustments
The hard throwing White Sox pitcher is finally looking like the pitcher we thought he was
Michael Kopech is breaking out, regardless of role
Even with a lack of clarity over his short-term future, Kopech is realizing his upside as a dangerous arm for the Chicago White Sox.
Freddy Peralta is showing he’s a starter
Fastball Freddy is riding a slider to success.
Griffin Canning is going to be fine
The Angels young righty has been extremely unlucky to start the season.
Evan Longoria is absolutely crushing baseballs
The Giants third baseman has recaptured his youth with some good numbers so far in 2021. Is it small sample size theater, or indicative of a longer trend?
Jed Lowrie is playing like the last two years didn’t happen
Jed Lowrie’s journey back to the field was difficult, but he hasn’t missed a beat.
Luis Castillo is somehow the Reds’ worse starter
The Reds have had to win without contributions from their ace.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has arrived
The first two years of Vlad Jr.’s career were decent but disappointing. Now, he’s making up for lost time.