A few weeks into the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the box scores are already telling some uncomfortable stories. Several players who arrived with enormous expectations backed by past performance, big contracts or both are struggling to find their footing. Some are pitchers with ERAs that have climbed well above respectable territory. Others are hitters watching their averages sink. None of them expected to be here.
Here is a closer look at five players whose early 2026 numbers have raised real concerns.
Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians
In four starts this season, Bibee has posted a 6.38 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP, walking six and striking out 18 across 18.1 innings. That is a long way from the pitcher who finished runner-up for AL Rookie of the Year in 2023 with a 2.98 ERA and 141 strikeouts.
With Shane Bieber gone, the Guardians handed Bibee the keys to their rotation and asked him to lead it. So far, that transition has been a rough one. He is still eating innings, which matters, but his ability to miss bats and limit damage has not carried over from his best form. At this pace, questions are beginning to surface about whether he profiles more as a dependable mid-rotation arm than a true staff ace.
Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles
Bradish returned from Tommy John surgery with real optimism surrounding him. His 2023 campaign a 2.83 ERA across a full season gave Orioles fans every reason to believe he could anchor a competitive rotation. Through four starts in 2026, that belief is being tested. He carries a 5.49 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP, having allowed 12 earned runs in just under 20 innings.
His underlying numbers suggest some regression to the mean may be coming, but counting on that kind of bounce back from a pitcher still finding himself after major surgery is a gamble Baltimore may not be able to afford.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
The Cubs believed enough in Crow-Armstrong to hand him a six year, $115 million extension after a 2025 season in which he hit 25 home runs, stole 27 bases and drew legitimate MVP conversation. Through 77 plate appearances in 2026, little of that player has shown up.
He is hitting .236 with a .276 on base percentage, one home run and an OPS+ of 71 meaning he is performing nearly 30 percent below league average offensively. Opposing pitchers appear to have identified and attacked his aggressive approach at the plate. His defense in center field remains an asset, but the Cubs need more from the bat to justify the investment.
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
No player on this list represents a steeper drop-off than Raleigh. Last season, he became just the second catcher in MLB history to hit 60 home runs, cementing himself as arguably the best at his position in the game. Through 87 plate appearances in 2026, he is batting .169 with a .253 on base percentage, two home runs and an OPS+ of 58.
His strikeout rate has climbed sharply and his hard hit metrics have declined significantly. For a player of his caliber, this kind of start is unusual enough that it has Mariners fans watching every at bat closely, hoping for a correction.
Jacob Wilson, Oakland Athletics
Wilson’s rookie season earned him an All-Star selection and built genuine excitement around his contact-first approach. That contact is still there in 2026 he is hitting .263 but it is not doing as much damage. His .273 on base percentage reflects a low walk rate, and his extra base hits have been limited to four through 77 plate appearances.
For a player whose offensive value depends heavily on getting on base and driving the ball into gaps, those numbers need to improve for him to re-establish himself as a building block for Oakland going forward.
The season is young, but the trends are real
None of these players are finished. Baseball has a long history of slow starters who found their stride and went on to productive seasons. But through the early weeks of 2026, each of these five has given fans and front offices alike reason to pay close attention in the weeks ahead.
