Alec Bohm and 6 other MLB players who should be out of a job after a miserable start

On one hand, we're barely through 20 percent of the 2026 MLB season. That's hardly any time to form firm conclusions, either about players or teams.

On the other hand ... boy, it sure does feel like it's getting late early, doesn't it? Sure, it's still early May, but the trade deadline is going to be here before you know it, and sluggish starts from several would-be contenders have triggered some existential crises — and put plenty of big names on notice that they better start playing better or find themselves on the bench.

3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies

• 2026 stats: .161/.230/.210, 1 HR
• Alternative option: Edmundo Sosa

It's hard to imagine a worse contract year than what Bohm's going through right now, as his offensive numbers have completely cratered across the board. And the worst part is that it's hard to chalk it up to bad luck or a small sample size: He's simply not doing much damage right now, with career lows by a mile in barrel rate and average exit velocity. For a Phillies lineup that was thin to begin with, that's a problem.

What's even worse is that there's no obvious replacement. Philly doesn't have much of any Minor League depth to speak of, especially not with top prospect Aidan Miller still on the shelf with an increasingly concerning back issue. The Phillies have too much riding on this season to allow Bohm to keep running out there, but while Sosa's floor is a bit higher right now, there's still not much of any ceiling to speak of.

RHP Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers

• 2026 stats: 28.2 IP, 5.97 ERA, 6.84 FIP
• Alternative option: Justin Wrobleski

The Dodgers' rotation is going get squeezed shortly, as Blake Snell is nearing his debut after starting the season on the IL due to shoulder fatigue. Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani aren't going anywhere, to state the obvious. But even if L.A. opts to stick with a six-man rotation, that still leaves only two spots for Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski.

On paper, at least, the answer seems obvious: Sasaki should be the one to get sent down to Triple-A. The rotation experiment just isn't working; he's still not throwing enough strikes, and his fastball remains untenably hittable. Of course, with Sasaki, context is everything, and there's no telling what the Dodgers will do given how much they have invested in his development. He's clearly the worst pitcher of the three, but Sheehan's up-and-down performance could also open the door for a surprise demotion.

3B Caleb Durbin, Boston Red Sox

• 2026 stats: .175/.260/.254, 1 HR
• Alternative option: Marcelo Mayer

I actually liked the idea to acquire Durbin from Milwaukee back in February. He was a much-needed righty bat who could play several different positions, both things Boston's lopsided roster desperately needed, and his fly ball-heavy approach seemed to be a clean fit at Fenway Park.

At this point, though, it seems like a reset is in order. Durbin is a solid defender at the hot corner, but he's been one of the worst hitters in the sport to start the season, one of many reasons why the Red Sox offense has disappointed. He's hitting the ball on the ground more than ever, and all those pull-side fly balls have dried up, a bad combination for an undersized hitter who needs to optimize his profile if he's going to have success.

Boston could fast-track top infield prospect Franklin Arias, or they could shift Marcelo Mayer to third with Ceddanne Rafaela shifting to second base some. Neither is ideal, but it feels like some time in Triple-A to rediscover his timing away from the bright lights could do Durbin good.

RHP Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners

• 2026 stats: 34.1 IP, 6.29 ERA, 4.25 FIP
• Alternative option: Emerson Hancock

This one hurts, considering for just how long Castillo has been a stalwart in this Mariners rotation. But this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business, especially when you have championship aspirations like Seattle does, and the simple fact is that the veteran righty could — and should — find himself as the odd man out here pretty soon.

Bryce Miller's injury opened the door for Emerson Hancock, who promptly kicked it in and has made himself an indispensable part of this staff. Now, with Miller nearing a return, that creates a dilemma: Do you defer to Castillo's track record and send Hancock back down, or do you ride the hot hand and send Castillo to the bullpen? Heck, is he even open to a move to the bullpen? It's clear that he's no longer one of the Mariners' five best starters when everyone's healthy, but the reality is more complicated.

OF Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals

• 2026 stats: .175/.260/.254, 1 HR
• Alternative option: Lars Nootbaar (eventually)

Few teams have better vibes than the Cardinals right now, but lost amid this dream start has been a woefully disappointing season from Scott. He remains a menace on the bases and an asset in center field, but no matter how much you bring in other facets of the game, you need to at least hit a little bit in order to justify an every-day role. And Scott has failed to clear even that bar, as the slash line above (and his 43 OPS+) shows.

For now, St. Louis doesn't have a decision to make. But with Lars Nootbaar already out on a rehab assignment as he recovers from offseason heel surgery, Scott's runway is running out. This Cardinals team finds itself smack in the middle of the NL postseason chase, and they don't have the luxury of penciling an automatic out into the lineup on a regular basis. Nootbaar, when he's right, is a solid hitter who can moonlight across all three outfield spots, and his return might ticket Scott for Triple-A Memphis.

RHP Adrian Houser, San Francisco Giantsa

• 2026 stats: 30.1 IP, 7.12 ERA, 5.75 FIP
• Alternative option: Trevor McDonald

Credit to the Giants: They haven't taken this profoundly disappointing start lying down. Tony Vitello and Buster Posey have made clear that the current product is unacceptable, and recent roster moves bare that out, including the promotion of top hitting prospect Bryce Eldridge from Triple-A.

The pitching staff could also use some changes, though. Houser, in particular, has been a sore spot, and he should be looking over his shoulder after McDonald came up and fired seven quality innings against the Padres earlier this week. McDonald is still a complete unknown at the MLB level, and Houser has a two-year, $22 million contract buying him time. At a certain point, though, your price tag can't save you, and he simply hasn't been a competitive pitcher so far this season. If that continues, McDonald deserves a longer look as San Francisco tries to save its season.

INF Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres

• 2026 stats: .144/.272/.196, 1 HR
• Alternative option: Sung-Mun Song

Cronenworth is currently on the 7-day IL due to a concussion, so this problem is on pause for at least a few more days. When he returns to full health, though, I'm not sure there will be a starting spot waiting for him in San Diego. He's been one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball so far this season, and while his defensive versatility in the infield is valuable, the Padres need guys who can produce at the plate.

Of course, the reality of Cronenworth's contract, which runs through 2030, means that his roster spot is secure. But his playing time isn't, especially not if recent call-up Sung-Mun Song keeps producing like this.

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