Three MLB stars that need to heat up right now
Every hitter goes through slumps during the season. It is even more noticeable when those cold stretches happen at the start of the year.
An even brighter spotlight shines on those cold streaks when the team as a whole is struggling, as those stars are needed even more as their teams look for a spark. Here are three players that need to heat up in a hurry.
1. Randy Arozarena, OF - Tampa Bay Rays
Arozarena provided a spark for the Rays on Sunday. Down to his final strike against closer Edwin Diaz, Arozarena launched a game-tying home run in the Rays' 7-6 10-inning victory. That home run was one of the few bright spots of his season thus far as Arozarena has posted a .143/.234/.278 batting line in his 141 plate appearances, hitting five homers and two doubles.
Arozarena has not hit the ball well when he has made contact, ranking in the 25th percentile in hard-hit rate. He is striking out at the worst rate of his career and is in the eighth percentile in whiff rate. His expected .197/.237/.347 batting line is still mediocre but is an improvement over what he has done thus far. The Rays are ninth in the American League with 140 runs scored and tenth with a .670 OPS. Getting Arozarena back to form will help jumpstart the offense.
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., first base - Toronto Blue Jays
The 2021 season seems so far away for Guerrero. He led the majors with 48 homers and his 1.002 OPS paced the American League. Guerrero finished second in the MVP vote that year and appeared to be on his way to superstardom.
While Guerrero has been a solid player since, he has not come close to his breakout 2021 season. He has continued to hit the ball hard, ranking in the 96th percentile in hard-hit rate and average exit velocity this season. His expected .271/.323/.474 batting line easily outpaces his .239/.338/.373 batting line in his 154 plate appearances. He is in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak and may be heating up, something the 16-19 Blue Jays need to happen.
3. Corbin Carroll, OF - Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks were one of the biggest surprises in the majors in 2023, winning the National League pennant. Carroll was a key part of that run, posting a .285/.362/.506 batting line in his 645 plate appearances, hitting 25 homers and stealing 54 bases. He won the NL Rookie of the Year and finished fifth in the MVP vote. Carroll appeared to be a star in the making.
The sophomore slump has hit Carroll hard thus far. He has produced a disappointing .203/.297/.250 batting line in his 145 plate appearances, hitting just one home run and three doubles while stealing eight bases. Carroll is not hitting the ball hard, ranking in the 11th percentile in hard-hit percentage and in the sixth percentile in average exit velocity. His lack of quality contact is drastically hindering his performance this year.
The rotation has been hit hard by injuries with Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly on the 60-day injured list, putting even more of a strain on the lineup. Getting Carroll on track could be what the 15-20 Diamondbacks need.
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