Least Valuable Players of Every MLB Team

The MLB All-Star break is a time to celebrate the game's best players, but what about each team's weakest link holding the roster back? These are the least valuable players of the first half of the baseball season.

Major League Baseball reached its unofficial midway point defined by the All-Star break. And while All-Star festivities are meant to celebrate the game's best and brightest players, PointAfter opted to look at the other side of the coin.

While all 30 teams have at least one All-Star representative (as mandated by rule), each team also has a weak link holding them back. Starting pitchers led the way with 11 Least Valuable Players at the position. First basemen and outfielders tied for second with five representatives apiece.

Every player on this list recorded negative wins above replacement during the first half of the MLB season, a stat we'll use to rank the following LVPs.

In the event of a tie by WAR, we ranked alphabetically by team.

Note: All WAR figures are courtesy of Baseball Reference and are accurate as of the 2016 MLB All-Star break.

30. Kansas City Royals: Omar Infante

Former Kansas City Royals second baseman Omar Infante hits a two RBI single during a game against the Cleveland Indians.

Position: 2B
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.25

Despite racking up obscene amounts of All-Star votes once again, Omar Infante couldn't prevent his release from the Kansas City Royals. The 34-year-old was cut loose from the reigning World Series champs in June after hitting .239/.279/.321 in 39 games played.

Infante had just 10 extra-base hits (no homers) in 149 plate appearances. He was picked up by the lowly Atlanta Braves, but he has yet to appear in a game for them at the major league level in 2016, playing instead for their Triple-A squad.

29. Houston Astros: Carlos Gomez

Position: CF
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.39

Seen as a trendy World Series pick prior to the 2016 season, the Houston Astros stumbled out of the gates. They finished April with a 7-17 record, then fell to 17-28 through May 22. They've turned it around since then, thanks in large part to All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve. Center fielder Carlos Gomez, however, hasn't done much to aid the resurgence.

Gomez's K% sits at a career-worst 30.9 percent at the All-Star break. He struck out 24 times in April, 24 times in May and an additional 28 times in June. His slash line for the season is a meager .217/.282/.332. After hitting more than 20 homers in 2013 and 2014 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Gomez has just four dingers through 244 ABs in 2016. The lack of power coupled with so many whiffs makes him the least valuable player of Houston's first half.

28. Los Angeles Angels: Jered Weaver

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

Even though the Los Angeles Angels are floundering near the bottom of league standings with a 37-52 record heading into the All-Star break, no one player has stood out for performing egregiously below expectations.

Starting pitcher Jered Weaver is not excluded from that narrative, as his seven pitching wins lead the Angels at the midway point in spite of his lofty 5.27 ERA. Still, the veteran's already lackluster velocity has continued to dip, and his 1.44 WHIP is the worst of his career.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates: Francisco Liriano

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

Throughout his MLB career, Francisco Liriano has never been viewed as the model of consistency. The lefty has finished six seasons with an ERA under 4.00, but he's also ended four seasons with an ERA above 5.00. At 2016's All-Star break (through 17 starts), Liriano's ERA sits at 5.15 -- by far his worst in a Pirates uniform.

His WHIP of 1.62 is the worst mark of his career, and it's tied to a lack of control. Through 92.2 innings pitched this season, Liriano has walked 58 batters. He walked 70 hitters in 186.2 innings a season ago.

26. San Francisco Giants: Matt Cain

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

It's an even year, so naturally the San Francisco Giants enter the All-Star break with baseball's best record at 57-33. Jonah Keri ranked them No. 1 in his ongoing power rankings for Sports Illustrated, so not much is going wrong for SF at the moment.

But while Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto have dominated on the mound, injury-prone Matt Cain remains, well, injury prone. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is on the 15-day DL with a hamstring issue. He's made 11 starts this season, and only four have been quality. He's 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA.

Cain hasn't been a dominant presence on the pitcher's mound since 2012, and there's little evidence to suggest he'll bounce back this season.

25. Seattle Mariners: Adam Lind

Position: 1B
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

Outfielder Seth Smith was in consideration here for his ugly -1.2 dWAR, but he's performed well enough at the plate to negate his lackluster fielding skills. Adam Lind, on the other hand, has the worst oWAR on the team (-0.3).

The first baseman's on-base percentage sits at a pitiful .261 -- easily the worst mark of his career. Additionally, his OPS of .699 is the worst since his second year in the pros.

Coming off a season with the Milwaukee Brewers that included a .277/.360/.460 slash line, 20 homers and 3.1 WAR, Lind seemed like a solid trade acquisition for the Mariners. Instead, he's struggled in the batter's box and in the field. He has popped 13 home runs, but that's not enough to negate his ugly on-base figures or his net negative status with the leather.

24. Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Smyly

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

Even though Chris Archer has disappointed this season with a 4-12 record and 4.66 ERA, the wily right-hander has at least notched positive WAR while striking out a ton of hitters.

Drew Smyly, meanwhile, is 2-10 with a 5.47 ERA and -0.4 WAR through 17 starts. Of those 17 starts, only six have been quality (permitting no more than three earned runs in at least six innings pitched). Smyly has rarely put the Rays in a position to win games this year -- a big reason why Tampa Bay is bringing up the rear in the AL East standings.

23. Toronto Blue Jays: Drew Storen

Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Drew Storen.

Position: RP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.4

Back in 2014, Drew Storen recorded a microscopic 1.12 ERA with 11 saves and 20 holds out of the Washington Nationals' bullpen. Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays two seasons later, Storen has notched career worsts in ERA (5.63) and WHIP (1.50) through the midway point of 2016.

The righty has already allowed 20 earned runs in 32 innings pitched this season. For reference, he allowed 21 earned runs in 55 innings for Washington a year ago. The move to the American League has not been kind to the former Stanford Cardinal.

22. Minnesota Twins: Kevin Jepsen

Minnesota Twins teammates huddle around Kevin Jepsen on the mound during a June 5 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Position: RP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.5

The Minnesota Twins enter the All-Star break with just 32 wins -- tied with Cincinnati for the second-worst mark in baseball. Like the Angels, however, Minnesota doesn't have a clear-cut weak link.

Our distinction goes to reliever Kevin Jepsen, whose consistently poor outings caused him to lose the closer role. After posting a 1.61 ERA in 28 innings for the Twins post-trade a season ago, Jepsen has made that success look like a fantasy by notching a 6.16 ERA with four blown saves in 30.2 innings so far in 2016.

He's not striking guys out nearly as often as he has in years past, and, per FanGraphs, opposing batters are hitting line drives off Jepsen 28.3 percent of the time (a career-worst for the righty).

21. St. Louis Cardinals: Trevor Rosenthal

Position: CP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.5

Through his first four seasons in the pros, Trevor Rosenthal was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. In 2014 and 2015, he was arguably MLB's best closer. He converted 93 of 102 save opportunities during that two-season span, but he hasn't been nearly as effective in 2016.

The 26-year-old sports a 5.40 ERA at the All-Star break, by far his worst ever. He's also blown three saves this season, which matches his total from all of last year. That prompted Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny to pull Rosenthal from the closer's role in late June.

Few other Cardinals have disappointed this season, so if Rosenthal figures things out in the second half, expect them to make a postseason push.

20. Oakland Athletics: Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso of the Oakland Athletics bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training.

Position: 1B
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.51

Generally speaking, first base is a position reserved for big-time power hitters. If you're suiting up a first baseman who doesn't hold his own in the batter's box, you're probably not going to win many games.

Yonder Alonso manned the position for 81 of his 86 games played prior to the All-Star break, hitting .251/.313/.348 with four home runs. Perhaps that would be at least palatable if Alonso was a tremendous fielder, but he notched -3 defensive runs saved at the position, making him a two-way net negative.

19. New York Mets: Alejandro De Aza

New York Mets outfielder Alejandro De Aza reacts after striking out against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Position: LF
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.67

Since the start of 2014, Alejandro De Aza has been traded three times. He signed with the Mets as a free agent in December, but he hasn't been able to replicate the success he had in 2015 for both the Boston Red Sox (.292/.347/.484 slash line) and San Francisco Giants (.262/.387/.361 slash line).

As a member of the Mets, De Aza has batted .176/.252/.269 over the course of 120 plate appearances. Even for a fourth or fifth outfielder, those numbers are ugly.

18. Cleveland Indians: Yan Gomes

Position: C
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.71

Yan Gomes has seen the seventh-most at-bats of any Cleveland Indians player thus far, and he's hitting a paltry .166/.201/.315.

Gomes has been solid defensively behind the dish, but that ghastly slash line makes him pretty much unplayable on offense. Cleveland won 14 straight games leading up to the All-Star break, but the team's catcher is clearly the weak link in the batting order.

17. Miami Marlins: Chris Johnson

Position: 1B
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.73

Despite boasting a career-best line-drive percentage and hard-hit percentage, according to FanGraphs, Chris Johnson remains a mediocre hitter at best.

The corner infielder, who has spent the bulk of his time at first base this year for Miami, is hitting .236/.280/.324 through 69 games. Of his 35 hits, four have been doubles and three have been homers -- leading to a minuscule .088 isolated power. Johnson had one good year back in 2013, but it's appearing more and more like an aberration.

16. Chicago Cubs: Adam Warren

Chicago Cubs pitcher Adam Warren reacts after surrendering a home run in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Position: RP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.8

The Cubs' starting pitching has been great. Their lineup is filled with solid hitters as well -- even though Jason Heyward has disappointed throughout the first half of his first season in Chicago. That leaves the bullpen, where Adam Warren has struggled through 27 appearances.

The righty's 5.79 ERA is a mess compared to the 3.29 ERA he posted with the Yankees a season ago as both a starter and reliever. In 32.2 innings pitched, Warren has walked 17 hitters and struck out 26 -- not an ideal ratio.

Additionally, Warren has allowed seven home runs. He allowed just 10 last season over the course of 131.1 innings (nearly 100 more than he's notched this year). Warren has been the clear weak link in a bullpen that includes Hector Rondon, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill and Pedro Strop -- whom all boast ERAs below 3.20.

15. Chicago White Sox: James Shields

James Shields gets removed from a game by Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura.

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.8

James Shields was the target of San Diego Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler's frustrations earlier this season following a 1-7 road trip.

"To have a starter like Shields perform as poorly as he did is an embarrassment to the team, an embarrassment to him," Fowler said, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

San Diego ultimately decided to trade Shields to the Chicago White Sox, but the change of scenery hasn't helped the veteran right-hander. In seven starts for the ChiSox, Shields' ERA sits at 7.68 with a WHIP of 1.94 (both numbers far worse than his marks with the Pads). He's allowed 29 earned runs in 34 innings pitched.

Moreover, his -0.8 WAR is only representative of his time in Chicago. That's a brutal WAR mark to post in only a month's time -- not exactly the trade acquisition Chicago was hoping for.

14. Washington Nationals: Ben Revere

Position: CF
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.84

Funnily enough, Ben Revere was the player traded by the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for their eventual 2016 first-half LVP, Drew Storen. It seems neither team got the better end of this deal.

Revere hit .224/.268/.301 in 236 plate appearances for Washington prior to the All-Star break. His OPS+ sits at 50, the worst mark of his MLB tenure if you discount 2010 (when he played just 13 games). Revere does have 10 stolen bases, but his fielding has been mediocre at best, solidifying his place as the Nats' LVP.

13. Boston Red Sox: Clay Buchholz

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.9

Starting pitching continues to be an issue for the Boston Red Sox. Eduardo Rodriguez has an ERA of 8.59 through six starts since returning from knee surgery. Joe Kelly is striking out hitters at an elite clip, but he also has an ERA over 8.00 in six starts.

Either of those guys could be deemed Boston's least valuable player at the midway point, but Clay Buchholz has pitched 18 games (16 starts), making him the more consistently disappointing pitcher in Beantown's rotation.

Buchholz was moved to the bullpen in late May following early-season struggles. He's walked 37 hitters in 80.2 innings and has just three quality starts to his name. Buchholz historically has followed a solid year with a poor one, though, so perhaps the struggles were to be expected.

12. Los Angeles Dodgers: Carl Crawford

Position: LF
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.93

The seven-year, $142 million deal Carl Crawford signed with Boston back in 2010 has established itself as one of the worst $100 million contracts in MLB history.

The former Rays speedster played 30 games for the Dodgers this season, hitting .185/.230/.235 before being released. Effectively, the Dodgers are deciding to pay the 34-year-old his $20.75 million salary in 2016 and his $21 million salary in 2017 to simply go away. Yikes.

11. Arizona Diamondbacks: Shelby Miller

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.1

There's a good chance the Shelby Miller trade could go down as one of the worst in MLB lore -- not hyperbole. This was deemed a robbery for the Atlanta Braves back in December by ESPN's David Schoenfield before Miller's trainwreck of a debut with Arizona. The Diamondbacks surrendered slick-fielding outfielder Ender Inciarte, right-handed pitcher Aaron Blair and 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson to land ATL's starter.

In his new digs, Miller has notched a 7.14 ERA to accompany a 2-9 record. In 14 starts, he's surrendered 55 earned runs. He gave up 69 earned runs in 33 starts last season.

Trading away a terrific haul for Miller has been an absolute disaster for the D-Backs, which is a shame since it was the first time in the Paul Goldschmidt era that AZ attempted to put a competent supporting cast around its MVP contender.

10. Detroit Tigers: Anibal Sanchez

Detroit Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez warms up prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.2

Aside from 23-year-old Michael Fulmer, no starting pitcher in Detroit's rotation has impressed in 2016. But while Justin Verlander and Mike Pelfrey have ERAs above 4.00, they actually look solid compared to Anibal Sanchez.

The veteran from Venezuela was moved to the bullpen by Detroit after struggling as a starter. Sanchez did show signs of promise in that role, but in two July starts after his stint as a reliever, Sanchez surrendered 12 earned runs in 8.1 innings (both losses). For the season overall, Sanchez is 5-10 with a 6.75 ERA.

9. Milwaukee Brewers: Wily Peralta

Wily Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds.

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.2

Wily Peralta went 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA in 2014, but he hasn't been able to replicate that success. In 2016, his numbers are bleak. At the All-Star break, Peralta sports a career-worst 6.68 ERA and 1.88 WHIP.

He's surrendered 97 hits in 66 innings; and, according to FanGraphs, opposing hitters are batting above .300 against all four of Peralta's pitches. That's ... not good.

8. New York Yankees: Mark Teixeira/Alex Rodriguez

Position: 1B/DH
WAR at All-Star Break: -0.54 and -0.67 (-1.21 combined)

It was darn near impossible to pick the New York Yankees' LVP, so we instead opted to just lump Teixeira and A-Rod as co-LVPs.

Both veteran sluggers have been abysmal in the batter's box this season. Teixeira is batting well below the Mendoza line, and A-Rod's OBP of .260 is worse than the batting average of 105 qualified MLB players.

The kicker? These guys will net more than $44.1 million combined this season for being so ineffective. Money is no object for the Yankees, but that still has to be difficult to stomach for the front office.

7. Texas Rangers: Prince Fielder

Position: 1B
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.26

Out of every player on the Texas Rangers' roster, regardless of plate appearances, Prince Fielder has the worst WAR by far at -1.3 (next-worst is Delino DeShields at -0.4).

Across the board, the former MVP candidate is posting the worst numbers of his career: batting average (.216), on-base percentage (.296), slugging percentage (.343), OPS (.639) and OPS+ (66). If the designated hitter isn't hitting, there isn't much point to leaving him in the lineup. Oh, except Fielder's $18 million salary, which he'll earn every year from now until 2020. (Cut to Rangers fans nodding glumly.)

6. Colorado Rockies: Gerardo Parra

Gerardo Parra of the Colorado Rockies attempts to field a ball during spring training.

Position: LF
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.36

Gerardo Parra won two Gold Glove awards while suiting up for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2011 and 2013). His elite defense in the outfield ensured he'd be a valuable asset even if he slumped in the batter's box, but his defensive acumen has diminished in Colorado and he's batting just .263/.274/.424.

His WAR of -1.4 is the worst on the team at the All-Star break, which marks a rather stark fall from grace for the southpaw.

5. Baltimore Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals.

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.6

The only consistency Ubaldo Jimenez has found in the majors has been to record an ERA hovering around 4.00 with a record around .500. But even the wild-card righty has been terrible despite relatively low standards.

At the break, Jimenez has a career-high 7.68 ERA and career-worst 1.97 WHIP. He's allowed 111 hits in 81.2 innings, as opponents boast a .320/.408/.484 slash line against him. The Orioles sit atop the AL East standings, but they've left the door open for Boston and Toronto to overtake them mainly due to the struggles of Jimenez.

4. Atlanta Braves: A.J. Pierzynski

A.J. Pierzynski of the Atlanta Braves sits in the dugout during a game against the San Francisco Giants.

Position: C
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.72

The Braves stink. They're rebuilding. They're embracing young players and looking to the future. And then there's A.J. Pierzynski.

Management better hope the 39-year-old veteran catcher is providing the youngsters with valuable advice, because he certainly isn't moving the needle in the box score. The lefty-batting Pierzynski is hitting .205/.227/.250 at the break. His OPS of .477 would be the worst mark in baseball if he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the leaderboard.

Couple Pierzynski's dreadful hitting with his notoriously poor glove, and you have one of the least valuable players of MLB's first half.

3. San Diego Padres: Alexei Ramirez

Position: SS
WAR at All-Star Break: -1.91

According to FanGraphs' Defensive Runs Above Average metric, which measures a player's defensive value, Alexei Ramirez has been the worst defensive shortstop in baseball at -10.2.

Add a limp .241/.272/.323 slash line to the fold, and there's really no redeeming quality for the 34-year-old Cuban. If he's not hitting for power and he's statistically the worst defender at his position, it makes sense for San Diego to look for other options.

2. Cinncinnati Reds: Alfredo Simon

Position: SP
WAR at All-Star Break: -2.1

When Alfredo Simon last played for the Cincinnati Reds, he was actually quite solid. He posted a 15-10 record in 32 starts to go with a 3.44 ERA and 1.9 WAR. After a year spent in Detroit, the Reds brought Simon back by signing the free agent in March. The reunion hasn't gone well.

Simon has found his way to the DL, but in 13 games (11 starts) he posted a 9.45 ERA, 2-7 record and 2.06 WHIP. The 6-foot-6 35-year-old may need to move permanently to the bullpen upon his return.

1. Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard

Position: 1B
WAR at All-Star Break: -2.1

Deemed the most disastrous $100 million contract in MLB history by my PointAfter colleague Will Laws, Ryan Howard continues to build (destroy?) his legacy with shockingly inept numbers. At this point, one logical explanation is the alien landing of baseball-themed MonStars.

Once a remarkable power hitter who mashed 58 homers in a single season, Howard has recorded -5.3 WAR from 2012 through the first half of 2016. His slash line of .154/.214/.353 this season is truly abysmal. He's striking out 32.3 percent of the time and certainly isn't among the better defensive first basemen in the game.

Needless to say, Philly won't be picking up Howard's $23 million club option for 2017 unless Howard himself gets a front office position by the end of the season.

 

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Baseball: "Least Valuable Players of Every MLB Team"