2017 AL East Positional Rankings: Outfielders, designated hitters and benches - Page 5 of 6 - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Paul Folkemer

2017 AL East Positional Rankings: Outfielders, designated hitters and benches

Photo credit: Joy R. Absalon

Designated Hitter

1. Hanley Ramirez, Red Sox
2. Mark Trumbo, Orioles
3. Kendrys Morales, Blue Jays
4. Matt Holliday, Yankees
5. Corey Dickerson, Rays

After struggling defensively at three different positions in the last three years, Ramirez has finally found the perfect spot: DH. He can focus on mashing the ball — which he did well last year, powering 30 homers and 111 RBIs — without needing to put on a glove. So, too, can Trumbo, whose right field stint fared poorly in 2016. Trumbo is bringing his homer-heavy bat back to Baltimore, though he’ll be hard-pressed to match his league-leading 47 blasts last year.

Morales, coming off two strong seasons in Kansas City, now faces the unenviable task of replacing Edwin Encarnacion in the Blue Jays’ lineup. The Yankees, too, added a new DH in the 37-year-old Holliday, who has had an outstanding career. But he may be on his last legs. Dickerson, the relative youngster of the group at age 27, can hit right-handers, but gets eaten alive by southpaws, who held him to a .589 OPS in 113 plate appearances in 2016.

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