Ah May. The sun is out, it’s getting warm. The season is moving forward. We have succeeded. We’ve had random 40 degree days. We went through the snow. We passed there in the cloudy afternoon. The trees have leaves again! There are early season flowers blooming! And your middle infield is a mess. It happens. But May brings that brings hope that summer will come soon. So let’s investigate the struggling midfielders and see what hope there is for us, or if it’s time to cut the fog. The rankings I will use are in the Yahoo 6×6 league with OPS.
One quick development before we get into the meat and potatoes here. Fernando Tatis Jr. he just played his 10th game at 2nd and now has 2B eligibility in most leagues. This development is interesting and adds another big name to the mix, even if he hasn’t hit a single bomb all year.
Gunnar Henderson (Pre-12 Rank, Current Rank 223): Gunnar has a bit of a starting history, just look at 228/268/413 from last year in April. But unlike last year’s turnaround, he was terrible in May. That being said, there are differences. He has retained the strength in the first half of the year that he did not show last year. He seems to be selling more power, but at the cost of his entire offensive profile. He doesn’t hit the ball hard or often. If he is careful, he will turn it around and be good all year round. Recommendation: Hold or Sell
Zach Neto (Pre Rank 17, Current Rank 156) Another slow start, similar to what we saw in 2024. He’s still speeding in 20/20, but I have some concerns. His bat speed is close to 2 MPH. He doesn’t push the ball too hard, but he had a great August last year to improve to the 25.25 level he had last year. I believe in him, so I don’t push him. Recommendation: Hold or Sell
Ketel Marte (Pre Rank 23, Current Rank 661): Big drop here. And it makes you wonder what the heck?!? However, there is a simple answer. He chases a lot in the zone. His Chase rating went from 24.8 last year to 35.1 this year. That leads to his downfall, especially when power and average are his biggest contributions. This is a related practice. And one I’m not sure he can fix. Recommendation: Back off
Trea Turner (Pre Rank 25, Current Rank 394) Age damage. Turner is 32 years old and has the skills of a young man. His defensive range is very low, which is an indication that he has lost agility. His speed is still top-notch, but it hasn’t translated into his steals thus far. He got off to a slow start last year, and turned his season around to cheering crowds. The issue is that he does not look like he will have the power of the 20-year-old bombs. But we have a history of being flexible, so I’m sticking with him… for now. Recommended: Grab
Bo Bichette (Pre-Rank 78 Current Rank 762) There was hope that Bo would break out of the Mets lineup, but he hasn’t. While they messed with his defense, and I don’t know if it messes with his head. Here’s the thing. I think he took a bath. He doesn’t hit hard, but he chases a ton. He doesn’t swing the bat too much. And he drinks. I don’t see much hope here. Tip: Filter or slice
Willy Adams (Pre Rank 95, Current Rank 864) Some of you have already cut the bait on Willy. 70% registered. The thing is… He’s always a slow starter. And we’re talking about a guy who had over 20 bombs in the second half last year. He’s absolutely capable of a solid rest of the year, and he’s a low buyout candidate on my list. Recommendation: Trade or pickup
