Everyone loves a good comeback story. We like to see a guy pick himself up after being down and start his story over again. Fortunately, the 2017 season is full of comebacks and new opportunities.
Some players are working their way up and others are recovering from injuries. A few did not play at all in the 2016 season.
Sonny Gray is a right handed pitcher who posted a 5.69 ERA last season. He had made two trips to the disabled list last season. He is supposed to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, showing he’s on his way up.
Zack Greinke is also a right handed pitcher who had a leading 1.66 ERA in 2015. He signed a six-year, $206.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Greinke posted a 4.37 ERA in his first season with the Diamondbacks. In the second half of the season, he had a 6.02 ERA while battling with an oblique injury.
Greg Holland, another right handed pitcher is a two-time All-Star and one of the best closers in baseball for the 2013 and 2014 season with the Kansas City Royals. He missed the entire 2016 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’s now headed to the Colorado Rockies.
Mike Moustakas, a 28-year-old third baseman for the Kansas City Royals who was limited to only 27 games in the 2016 baseball season. He had already hit seven home runs by then, which would mean he is on track to pass his career-high 22 he had hit in 2015.
Bryce Harper, a right fielder for the Washington Nationals had a very great 2016 season compared to his fellow players, with 24 home runs, 21 stolen bases, and .814 OPS. But Harper isn’t one of those average players. In the 2015 season he had led the league with 42 home runs and paced all of baseball with a 1.109 OPS.
“Harper will rebound,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said, “He’s young enough where we’re not real worried about Harp. And soon the pride factor will come into it. You don’t like seeing those down years on your bubble gum cards.”