The most disappointing player in 2017 for each MLB team

Tomas carried big expectations when he signed a six-year, $68 million deal after defecting from Cuba before the 2015 season. After underwhelming in his rookie season, he broke out with a 31-home run campaign in his sophomore year, fulfilling the promise that he brought to the desert the year prior. However, a core injury limited him to just 47 games before season-ending surgery took him out of play for the run Arizona has since embarked on toward the postseason. It furthers the uncertainty of the deal for the slugger.

No rookie carried the weight of more expectations on his shoulders than Swanson entering the year. However, after an underwhelming season in which he hit south of .240 and was demoted back to the minors once, it is clear it was a premature coronation for the top overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. With the Braves stating a desire to get even younger next season, hopes remain high for a breakthrough from the Georgia native.

On the tail of a strong second half in 2016, the 26-year-old hurler made his first opening day start. That ultimately ended up being the peak moment in a dismal year that saw him regularly struggle with control woes that defined the AL-worst Baltimore rotation. In seven different starts, he allowed five or more earned runs and allowed an ERA over 6.00 in two separate months.

What a difference a year makes. Outside of the heroic efforts of Chris Sale, the Red Sox rotation struggled to find its identity for much of the year, and a main culprit in the situation was the woefully inconsistent Porcello. No pitcher in the American League has surrendered more hits than Porcello, resulting in his ERA raising a full run and a half from a year ago. As a result, the defending AL Cy Young winner is now in line to lead the AL in losses just a season after topping it in wins.

After making a remarkable return to action in the World Series after tearing the ACL and LCL in his left knee earlier in the same season, Schwarber looked ready to bring his potent bat back to the Cubs' lineup full-time. However, his comeback season has been a miserable one. While he is approaching 30 home runs, Schwarber is also struggling to keep his average north of .200, as he continues to try to recapture his form at the plate.

After working his way back from a mixture of injuries over the past few years, Holland signed a one-year deal with the rebuilding White Sox in an attempt to re-establish his stock. Instead, after posting a 7-14 record along with a 6.20 ERA and 1.71 WHIP, Holland may have brought an end to his career with his 2017 performance. He was released by the last-place White Sox on Sept. 5.

Since signing a six-year, $106 million deal in February 2014, Bailey’s formerly promising career (which includes two no-hitters) has gone in the tank. He has won a total of 16 games over the last four years and missed most of the 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery. After another delayed start this season, Bailey posted a 6.43 ERA. Making matters worse, there are still another two years remaining on his albatross of a contract.

A year ago, Salazar roared out to a 10-3 record and an All-Star appearance before his second half was limited due to an elbow injury. That injury relegated him to limited bullpen work in the postseason. Despite returning to the rotation this year, he has been far from dependable, bouncing between the bullpen and rotation throughout the second half. His role on the team is uncertain again as the postseason draws near.

An All-Star as recently as a year ago, CarGo’s decline has been a sudden one this year with the 10-year veteran experiencing full-season career lows across the board. His slugging percentage has dived by over 100 points, while his .259 average is well south of his career .288 mark. The longtime stalwart at the heart of the Rockies' lineup is headed toward free agency after the year, and his time in a Rockies uniform is likely coming an end.

If Zimmermann’s first season in Detroit was considered a disappointment, his follow-up is a bona fide disaster. No qualified pitcher for the ERA title has a higher mark than Zimmermann’s 6.08, which brings his two-year Detroi ERA to 5.60 over 47 starts. Sure, he missed three weeks with a neck injury, but overall it is just the continuation of hard times following arguably the worst $100 million contract ever.

Admittedly, Beltran has been remarkably productive in the latter stages of his career, but it is fair to say that his second tenure in Houston has been a slight disappointment. Father Time may have simply caught up to Beltran, whose batting average is down 65 points from a year ago, with his home run total down to only 14. This could be the last go-around for the 40-year-old designated hitter.

When the Royals agreed to give Kennedy a five-year pact entering the 2016 season, it was a head-scratcher considering the inconsistencies that plagued the right-hander throughout his career. Thus, it is not a shocker that Kennedy has followed up a solid first season in K.C. with a wildly inconsistent one a year later. His ERA rose from 3.68 to 5.50, while he let up 30 home runs for the third consecutive year. To make things worse, shoulder fatigue has limited him to a career-low 149 innings, while providing a worrisome forecast going forward with three years remaining on his contract.

It has been four years since Nolasco has been even a tolerable regular part of a rotation, yet he has remained a starter due to being on teams in desperate need of bodies to fill out a staff. However, after making a strong impression with the Angels late in 2016 (3.21 ERA in 11 starts), he looked to be able to carry some weight in an Angels rotation in need of a lift this year. While he made over 30 starts this year, he reverted back to his former ways, posting an ERA over 5.00 and losing at least 14 games for the second consecutive year.

Hopes have remained high for Pederson since he became an All-Star in his rookie campaign, but two years later, he still is leaning more on potential than results, struggling with both production and health. The rise of Chris Taylor has seen Pederson supplanted in the everyday lineup, while the return of Andre Ethier could compromise his spot on the postseason roster as a whole.

Nothing has gone right within the Marlins rotation, which has struggled to find any type of consistency in the wake of the tragic death of former ace Jose Fernandez. A year later, the Marlins have the fewest quality starts in the National League, while also producing the second fewest total saves. Four pitchers who have started eight games or more (Justin Nicolino, Adam Conley, Vance Worley and Tom Koehler) produced ERAs above 5.00. The rebuilding of the franchise under new ownership this winter must start by overhauling the arms on board.

After coming out of nowhere a year ago to go 9-3 with a 2.81 ERA, Guerra earned the opening day nod this year. However, he was unable to recapture that magic this year, winning only one of his 13 starts and missing most of April and May to injury. After a downturn in July, Guerra spent all of August in the minors and has been relegated to the Milwaukee bullpen since returning early in September.

The club’s first-round pick in 2009, the expectation has long been for Gibson to become a core part of the starting staff. While he has become a mainstay, it has been more due to necessity than to thriving. Over the last two years, he has been one easiest arms to hit in the AL, allowing over 10 hits per nine innings and carrying an ERA north of 5.00.

Perhaps there is no bigger disappointment than Harvey due to the complete and total letdown that the once dominant righty was this year. He mixed a terrible product on the mound (6.60 ERA in 18 games), another injury-interrupted (or damaged-controlled) season and a PR nightmare as he attempted to lie his way through missing a game in May. All in all, the Mets are likely looking forward to the end of 2018 when they can cleanly move on from their former ace.

Tanaka could have been confused more for a softball pitcher  than the former head of the Yankee staff along his way to allowing a career-worst 35 home runs, including five games of three or more. It is a far cry from what was needed, as the oft-changing New York rotation has had to reinvent itself due to injury and a lack of reliability from its one-time ace Tanaka. With a career-high 4.94 ERA it would be a surprise to now see Tanaka opt out of the remaining $66 million on his deal to head to free agency this winter.

Entering the year, hopes were high for Cotton to live up to the promise he showed in his cup of coffee at the end of last season. However, it was a rough rookie campaign for the 25-year-old hurler. Cotton has managed only six quality starts out of 24 trips to the mound. Top it off with an equally brutal 5.58 ERA, and there is nowhere to go but up for the youngster.

Franco announced his presence with a bang in spring training two years ago and has since carried expectations of being a breakout star in the making. After a solid-but-unspectacular 2016, Franco further fell short of expectations yet again this year with his entire batting line dropping for the third year in a row. His .230/.282/.398 split line is among the NL worst for everyday starters and has contributed to a -0.6 WAR. After looking to be a cornerstone part of the Phillies' rebuilding process, his stock has continued to plummet over the past two years.

This designation should probably go to Jung Ho Kang, whose legal woes kept him from even leaving South Korea this year, but Glasnow somehow managed to outdo him in the realm of overwhelming disappointments. After entering the year as the organization’s top prospect, Glasnow may need some more time in the oven after he was brutalized to the tune of an 8.02 ERA over 14 outings, along with a robust 2.02 WHIP. However, after again dominating at Triple-A (second year with an ERA south of 2.00), the Buccos may have to be content to let their towering righty learn the hard way in the majors.

The quintessential all-or-nothing performer, Schimpf came out of nowhere to connect for 20 home runs in 89 games a year ago. While the power remained in his encore effort (14 homers in 53 games), there was nothing else redeeming to mention. After being the opening day starter at second base, he hit .158 in 197 at-bats and was demoted to back to Triple-A El Paso, where he hit .202 in 69 games and did not receive a September return to San Diego.

Much ado was made about Melancon’s deal to join the Giants, as the club inked the three-time All-Star closer to a four-year, $62 million pact to resurrect a league-worst bullpen. But instead of becoming the salvation he was signed to be, he proved to be more of the same, failing to convert five of 16 save opportunities. Ultimately, Melancon was demoted to a setup role before heading to the disabled list for a second time in early September to end his San Francisco debut season.

Seattle bought low on Gallardo this offseason and in return got exactly what it paid for. A once-dominant strikeout artist, Gallardo has managed only 94 K's in 130.2 innings, while producing a career-worst 5.72 ERA in the process. Although the Mariners have had to rely on an MLB-high 17 starters on the year, they likely could have gone for a few more if it meant skipping some of Gallardo’s regrettable outings in turn.

Thus far, Oh’s career has been a night and day affair, and unfortunately for the Cardinals, his sophomore year has been far more night than they could handle. After working to a 1.92 ERA as rookie while converting 19 saves and 14 holds, NL batters figured him out his sophomore year. His home runs allowed doubled, and his average against rose nearly 100 points. Left-handers were especially rough on him, hitting .333. His decline has thrown the St. Louis bullpen into a tailspin, and the Cards have blown more leads after eight innings than any other team in baseball.

As abruptly as he broke out, Miller fell quickly back to Earth. Following a 30-home run breakout performance a year ago, Miller was counted on to join Evan Longoria in driving the Tampa offense this year. Instead, he has managed only eight home runs on the year, while struggling to reach the Mendoza line at the plate. He missed over a month with a shoulder injury that likely affected his power but still failed to hit .200 in three separate months.

For the second consecutive year, Odor reached 30 home runs, but the second time around was a much less fruitful overall affair. Odor is on track to produce the lowest OPS+ and on-base percentage ever for a player with 30 home runs. While the raw number is good, the Rangers need a more balanced approach from their durable and talented second baseman.

Jose Bautista's tenure as a Blue Jay lasted one year too long. His return to Toronto served to be a cringe-worthy affair, as the six-time All-Star had a season to forget. Age caught up with Joey Bats, as a slowed bat led to a career-high 165 strikeouts. He did pass his 2016 home run total, but it took 22 more games hit one more homer. Bautista’s decline played a big role in overall deterioration of the Toronto offense on the year.

After failing to find a suitable solution to work the ninth inning in the offseason, the Washington bullpen predictably fell into critical condition early in the year. First dibs on manning the final frame fell to Kelley, whom the Nationals paid $15 million to work as a setup man a year ago. After blowing his first save attempt and stumbling through a rough first half, neck injuries furthered the frustrations for Kelley and the club alike, leading ultimately to the sweeping overhauls to the bullpen late in the year to hopefully steady the ship.