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MLB players hoping for bounce-back seasons in 2018
Benny Sieu / USA Today Sports Images

MLB players hoping for bounce-back seasons in 2018

A new season provides the opportunity for players coming off poor 2017 seasons to turn the page. 2018 will give them the chance to either prove last year was an anomaly or that perhaps injuries and/or age have caught up to them.

Here are 25 MLB players hoping for better fortunes in 2018 to show they still have it.

 
1 of 25

Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers

Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
Benny Sieu / USA Today Sports Images

The former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP had one of his worst seasons in 2017, playing only 104 games and hitting .268-17-52 with 12 steals. The Brewers added Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich in the offseason, so Braun's playing time could be cut even further if he doesn't produce early.

 
2 of 25

Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers

Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers
Rick Osentoski / USA Today Sports Images

Fighting through back issues, Cabrera hit just .249-16-60 — all career lows — in a terrible year for him and the Tigers. The former AL Triple Crown winner is just one year removed from hitting .316-38-108, so it's probably too soon to give up hope just yet.

 
3 of 25

Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Mets

Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Mets
Jake Roth / USA Today Sports Images

Like seemingly the rest of the Mets' roster, Cespedes missed significant time due to injury in 2017. The Cuban hit .292-17-42 in 81 games and hopes for better health this year.

 
4 of 25

Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants

Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images

Cueto was terrific in his first year of a six-year deal with the Giants in 2016, but his performance wasn't nearly as good last season. He finished with a 4.52 ERA in 25 starts while struggling with his control, due in part to a finger issue.

 
5 of 25

Chris Davis, 1B, Orioles

Chris Davis, 1B, Orioles
Bob DeChiara / USA Today Sports Images

Age often impacts all-or-nothing hitters early, but Orioles fans hope last season was just an outlier. After hitting 38 home runs in 2016, Davis had only 26 homers with a .732 OPS in 2017.

 
6 of 25

Evan Gattis, C/DH, Astros

Evan Gattis, C/DH, Astros
Rick Osentoski / USA Today Sports Images

Not everything went perfectly for the Astros in their World Series-winning season. Gattis split time between catcher and DH but hit just .263-12-55 in 84 games after hitting 32 home runs in 2016.

 
7 of 25

Alex Gordon, OF, Royals

Alex Gordon, OF, Royals
Peter Aiken / USA Today Sports Images

It's not a stretch to call Gordon's four-year deal signed in 2016 a disaster through two seasons. He was especially bad for the Royals last year, hitting just .208-9-45 in 541 plate appearances. Now in rebuilding mode, the Royals will likely give a younger player at-bats if Gordon continues to struggle.

 
8 of 25

Cole Hamels, SP, Rangers

Cole Hamels, SP, Rangers
Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports Images

Hamels has lost velocity recently, and it showed in the lefty's results last season. He made only 24 starts due to injury and finished with a 4.20 ERA, his worst since 2009.

 
9 of 25

Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners

Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
Lance Iversen / USA Today Sports Images

King Felix isn't the pitcher he once was, but he hopes to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2017 season. Hernandez made only 16 starts, posting a 4.36 ERA for the Mariners — his worst ERA since his first full season in the bigs.

 
10 of 25

Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers

Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today Sports Images

While he's starting spring training on the Dodgers' roster, it remains to be seen if Kemp will enter the season on it. He was a salary dump by Atlanta after hitting just .276-19-64 in 115 games last season. Kemp hit .268-35-108 in 2016.

 
11 of 25

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Indians
Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports Images

Kipnis was a key cog in Cleveland's 2016 AL pennant, but the same can't be said for last season. He played only 90 games due to injury and hit .232-12-35. Kipnis was also mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason.

 
12 of 25

Jon Lester, SP, Cubs

Jon Lester, SP, Cubs
Aaron Doster / USA Today Sports Images

Lester still managed to make 32 starts, but his ERA increased by nearly two runs compared to 2016. The lefty had a 4.33 ERA, his worst since 2012, as he struggled to keep the ball in the park. After signing Yu Darvish and acquiring Jose Quintana last season, there isn't quite as much pressure on Lester to perform this year.

 
13 of 25

Jonathan Lucroy, C, Free Agent

Jonathan Lucroy, C, Free Agent
Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports Images

Lucroy has seen a cold free agent market due in large part to his struggles last season. He hit just .265-6-40 in 481 plate appearances between Texas and Colorado after hitting a career-high 24 home runs in 2016.

 
14 of 25

Starling Marte, OF, Pirates

Starling Marte, OF, Pirates
Aaron Doster / USA Today Sports Images

Marte missed nearly half of last season due to a PEDs suspension. While he was on the field, Marte hit just .275, his lowest batting average since his 47-game debut in 2012. With Andrew McCutchen traded to San Francisco, the Pirates will rely on Marte to produce.

 
15 of 25

Mark Melancon, RP, Giants

Mark Melancon, RP, Giants
Chris Humphreys / USA Today Sports Images

The first season of Melancon's four-year, $62 million contract with the Giants was a disaster. The closer made only 32 appearances due to injuries and had a 4.50 ERA.

 
16 of 25

Brad Miller, 2B, Rays

Brad Miller, 2B, Rays
Kevin Sousa / USA Today Sports Images

Miller had a breakout season in 2016 with 30 home runs but regressed last year. He played only 110 games due to injury and hit just .201-9-40. After trading Evan Longoria and Corey Dickerson, the Rays will need Miller's bat to rebound.

 
17 of 25

Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers

Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports Images

After 25-plus home runs in consecutive seasons, Pederson hit just .212-11-35 in 102 games for the Dodgers last season. He was a victim of L.A.'s tremendous outfield depth and will likely have to play himself into regular at-bats this season.

 
18 of 25

Stephen Piscotty, OF, Athletics

Stephen Piscotty, OF, Athletics
Charles LeClaire / USA Today Sports Images

Piscotty had a breakout 2016 season in St. Louis, hitting .273-22-85, but last year was a nightmare. He hit just .235-9-39 while dealing with difficult family news. The Cardinals traded Piscotty closer to his home in the Bay Area so he could be closer to his ailing mother, who was diagnosed with ALS.

 
19 of 25

Rick Porcello, SP, Red Sox

Rick Porcello, SP, Red Sox
David Kohl / USA Today Sports Images

After posting a 4.92 ERA in his first season with Boston, Porcello won the AL Cy Young in 2016. He reverted back to the bad version last year with a 4.65 ERA, allowing a league-worst 38 home runs. Porcello hopes for another rebound this year.

 
20 of 25

David Price, SP, Red Sox

David Price, SP, Red Sox
Thomas Shea / USA Today Sports Images

Price was effective when he was on the mound last season but made only 16 appearances due to elbow problems that plagued him throughout the year. Entering spring training healthy, Price hopes to get back to his old self.

 
21 of 25

Albert Pujols, DH/1B, Angels

Albert Pujols, DH/1B, Angels
Thomas Shea / USA Today Sports Images

If Pujols didn't have the worst season of any regular last season, it wasn't far off. Playing all but six of his games at DH, Pujols hit just .241 with a .672 OPS. At age 38, he also still has four years remaining on his contract.

 
22 of 25

Hanley Ramirez, DH/1B, Red Sox

Hanley Ramirez, DH/1B, Red Sox
Wendell Cruz / USA Today Sports Images

Playing primarily at DH, Ramirez hit just .242-23-62 replacing the retired David Ortiz. He will play more first base this year after the Red Sox signed J.D. Martinez, but the margin for error will be smaller with Mitch Moreland able to replace him.

 
23 of 25

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants
Patrick Gorski / USA Today Sports Images

Samardzija's second year in San Francisco wasn't great, posting 15 losses and a 4.42 ERA in 32 starts. On the bright side, he did lead the NL with 207.2 innings and a 1.4 BB/9. His 3.61 FIP shows that Samardzija has a very good shot at rebounding.

 
24 of 25

Aaron Sanchez, SP, Blue Jays

Aaron Sanchez, SP, Blue Jays
Butch Dill / USA Today Sports Images

Sanchez went 15-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 2016, but he made only eight starts last season while struggling with a finger issue. He returned healthy this spring, hoping to navigate an even more difficult AL East.

 
25 of 25

Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets

Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

A lat injury limited Syndergaard to only seven starts last season after posting a 2.60 ERA over 183.2 innings in 2016. He did finish the season healthy and hopes to stay intact this year with an adjusted offseason workout regimen. 

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

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