Welcome back to Week Two of our Patience or Panic series, where we take a look at three struggling players and provide recommendations on how you should react to their slow starts and subpar performance. Early as it might be, where would the world be without potential overreaction? So, shall we?
Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners
2026 has not been kind to Cal Raleigh. He’s hitting .132/.233/.184 so far this season, has just two extra-base hits — two doubles — four RBIs, a .417 OPS, and a 34 wRC+. The Big Dumper’s turned into the Big Dumpee.
That’s just the start of things. Raleigh’s down in most metrics compared to last season, but especially when it comes to striking out. In 2025, Raleigh boasted a career-best SO% of 26.7. He’d gotten selective and, in turn, started to walk more. That is not the case in 2026. Raleigh is currently striking out 46.5% of the time. Worse, his 20 strikeouts lead the Majors. It’s also not as if Raleigh is making mincemeat of the balls he does touch. His HardHit% has gone from 49.6% in 2025 to 11.1% in 2026. That’s the biggest year-to-year drop-off in baseball. And it’s not particularly close.
It’s nightmarish, and equally concerning that Raleigh’s been like this since the World Baseball Classic. He went hitless in the tournament, albeit in nine at-bats.
Verdict: Keep the faith. That said, share some level of concern. These aren’t just bad numbers or a slow start. These are sharp reverses in key categories. Still, even before his MVP-caliber campaign last year, Raleigh’s been a productive at the dish. Likewise, he’s always been a slow starter. In April and March, he’s a career .210/.306/.440 hitter with a .746 OPS. Might he reach last year’s heights? At this rate? No. But can he continue to chip in for both the Mariners and his fantasy owners? Unequivocally.
Nick Kurtz, 1B, The Athletics
From a runner-up to an award winner. Let’s talk about the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Las Vegas — née Sacramento’s Nick Kurtz.
Kurtz has hit a sophomore slump thus far. Through seven games, he’s slashing .148/.361/.185 with a .546 OPS and a 80 wRC+. He’s recorded just four hits, all singles. No doubles, no extra bases. Nothing. Just as troubling, he’s seen his SO% climb from 30.9 last season to 38.9% this season. His HardHit% is also going in the wrong direction so far in 2026. Another concern? Kurtz is putting the ball into the dirt far more than into the air, with a 46.2 GB% to a 23.1 FB%. Not great, Bob!
That said, there are still shades of last year’s slugger. His Average Exit Velocity is in the 79th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. His Barrel% is in the 87th percentile, and his bat speed remains elite. Kurtz is even improving as a walker, upping his BB% by a whopping 12.1% this season. He knows what he wants and is seeing the ball well. He only needs to piece things together to reclaim his award-winning form.
The Verdict: Relax. This is still Nick Kurtz we’re talking about here. Y’know, the Nick Kurtz who posted a 1.002 OPS in 117 games and won a Silver Slugger as a rookie. It took him 27 games in 2025 to maintain a .700+ OPS last season, and look how that turned out.
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers
Let’s stick to first base, but move to Detroit and discuss Spencer Torkelson.
Torkelson’s career has been full of highs and lows so far. The former first overall pick seemed to find some middle ground in 2025 with a career-best .789 OPS, 31 homers, and 78 RBIs. He’d found himself and molded into a middle-of-the-order bat befitting his drafting.
Sadly, Torkelson isn’t fitting that mold in 2026. He’s hitting .172/.294/.241 with a .535 OPS and 64 wRC+. Other troubling numbers include a 6.4% increase in his SO%, a 6.2% decrease in his HardHit%, and a 4.4 MPH dip in his average exit velocity. It’s not ideal, nor is almost any of it encouraging. Just a peek at Torkelson’s Baseball Savant Page reveals only two strengths: His 90th percentile Launch Angle Sweet-Spot% and his 88th percentile Chase%. But neither matters when Torkelson isn’t connecting and is still striking out more than in years past despite knowing what not to chase.
The good news? Those elite metrics can pull Torkelson out of his slow start. He still knows, theoretically, how to drive a ball with his swing. And he’s improved at knowing what’s of use to him and what’s not. Pair the latter with a career-best 14.7 BB%, and there’s a case to be made that all the first baseman needs is to make better contact.
The Verdict: Hold onto your butts, as Samuel L. Jackson says in Jurassic Park. One game can make a difference. Going into Sunday, Torkelson had a .379 OPS. After a one-hit, three-walk performance, it jumped to .536. There’s still plenty of time. That said, monitor things closely.
