We are clear of the quarter-pole in this 2026 MLB season.
That is enough time to make judgments, but there is still plenty of time for stars to recover from ugly numbers we are not used to seeing. Foul Territory takes a look at some bounceback candidates below.
Big Name MLB Bounceback Candidates
Ketel Marte – 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
This is one of the most glaring slow starts in the big leagues. Marte has been one of baseball’s best second basemen since 2023, and this year has been an utter disaster compared to his norms.
His chase rate is up, but his Statcast page is still lit up like a Christmas tree (that’s a good thing). He’s making loud contact, and his expected numbers are far higher than what he’s actually posting. With some of his highly regarded teammates on that same struggle bus, he may be trying to swing out of his funk. When it does turn around, he might rack up hits in bunches like he’s done so frequently in the past.
Austin Riley – 3B, Atlanta Braves
Outside of Riley, Atlanta’s offense has been on fire this season, and that has propelled them to the best record in the Majors. This is a bleaker Statcast page, but if you believe in the 29-year-old’s track record and still-elite bat speed, he’s capable of going on a power tear that can erase that slow start in a hurry.
José Ramírez – 3B, Cleveland Guardians
This may be the most puzzling “slow start” of the season. He’s still posting numbers at an All-Star clip, just not the top-5 MVP-level damage. His current expected stats outpace last year’s numbers. This looks like one of the surest bets to end up a line similar to what we’ve been seeing from the future Hall of Famer for a decade now.
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