Fernando Tatis Jr. and more slumping stars we're ready to push the panic button on

Let’s preface this by saying that, yes, I know the MLB season is hardly 10 percent complete at the time of publication. I know that all of this will feel like a bit of an overreaction.

That said, we're seeing some miserable numbers from some very big names, and not all of them are so easily dismissed. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s struggles are different from other stars like Josh Naylor or Michael Busch. What each of these players do in the interim to get out of their respective slumps will determine what their seasons will ultimately look like. 

Don’t judge these players based on how they’re playing two weeks into the season, but we can’t ignore the fact that it’s there. That’s why the panic button is within reach for these five players.

Fernando Tatis Jr.’s swing problems have derailed a 2026 bounce-back

You could argue that Tatis Jr. has been in a slump the last couple of seasons. Sure, his numbers were solid, but he has yet to even really approach his pre-PED suspension heights, even undergoing some swing mechanic changes to try and get back to his past power totals. It doesn't seem to be working: So far this season, Tatis is running a .204 batting average and a .558 OPS. And even more troubling, those numbers aren’t even the ones that tell the story of a slugger in a slump. 

Tatis has struck out a team-high 16 times in the first 13 games of the season. Over the last few years, Tatis has tweaked his stance, opening and closing it to try and improve his contact point and attack angle. It hasn’t really turned into much success this year yet, but there’s still time. When you make drastic changes over time, it can take time to adjust. That’s what this feels like. That said, the fact that he has just 10 hits in 49 plate appearances, with no home runs and five RBI, is reason to think this is more than just a passing thing.

Polar Pete Alonso’s offense is getting ice cold in first season away from Mets

These numbers from Pete Alonso are so bad, you have no choice but to slam the panic button if you’re a Baltimore Orioles fan. Not only is Alonso batting under .200 right now, but his OPS is in the gutter by his standards. He can bounce back, but it doesn’t mean the Orioles might not have cursed one of the best power hitters of his generation. He has one home run and three RBIs on the year. He has time to turn things around, but it doesn’t mean fans should be optimistic about it. 

According to a story in Camden Chat, Alonso isn’t having an issue making contact but rather an issue capitalizing on the pitches he usually crushes. Fastballs are his specialty. and he’s well below his expected numbers with a .185 average against fastballs. There’s plenty of time for Alonso to get back on track. But the reality is the Orioles paid him $155 million a year, and he isn't getting any younger. Alonso doesn’t have the pressure of performing in front of the New York critics like he has in the past. 

If things don’t turn around quickly, we won’t just be talking about his ice cold start; we’ll be talking about an underwater contract.

Bo Bichette’s feeling the pressure of playing in New York

Speaking of the New York Mets: One of their many acquisitions this offseason could well be succumbing to the pressures of trying to thrive in the Big Apple. The issue with Bichette’s struggles don't just stem from his batting average (.228) or OPS (.525), but rather the fact that he’s not proving the offensive spark the Mets need from him — especially with Juan Soto out. New York's offense was already bad before Soto’s injury, and now it’s taken an even bigger hit.

Bichette was brought in to pick up the slack left behind after the Mets didn't bring Alonso back. He hasn’t done that, and Mets fans don’t have the belief he will right now. Again, it’s easy to get on a player early, but it’s important to remember it’s a 162-game season. Just like most players that enter the New York market, the transition is tough, but it’s not unbearable. Bichette can bounce back, but he has to prove the Mets didn’t waste money signing him. That starts with stepping up at a time when they need him the most.

Dustin May’s horrid start has St. Louis Cardinals fans on edge

Dustin May gave up 13 total runs in his first two starts with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2026. Worse than that, he’s given up 17 hits and two home runs. May isn’t just struggling to start the year, he’s flat out horrible. His inflated 15.95 ERA just adds salt to the proverbial wound that is May in this rotation. It’s early, but the Cardinals' offseason acquisition isn’t panning out like they’d hope.

Yes, things can change, but right now, it’s clear May is in a slump that could take him awhile to get out. Why? Because he doesn’t have the command on the mound he needs to succeed, according to MLB.com. He’s not taking over the strike zone rather letting too many pitches end up right down the middle. He has improved his pitch velocity, but the command is hurting him. 

Again, early signs are his struggles aren’t going anywhere any time soon. Maybe not quite time to smash the panic button, but not too early to start thinking about it. 

Josh Naylor might be the worst hitter in MLB right now

As a Seattle Mariners fan, I’d just stay away from all things offense right now when talking about Josh Naylor. He’s statistically one of the worst hitters in baseball a few weeks into the 2026 season: His batting average is hovering just above .100, and he has just five hits in 49 plate appearances while failing to record a hit in his first five games. It can only go up from here, but as a Mariners fan, I can’t blame you for feeling like it might not. 

To make things worse, Naylor has a league-worst .227 OPS, which is closer to his expected batting average than his current one. According to SI, though, the numbers tell a different story from one that looks as obvious: He has been walked four times and only been struck out eight. Naylor isn’t necessarily playing as bad as it looks, but it’s not an encouraging sign when he was expected to anchor this Seattle lineup.

Michael Busch has dug himself quite the hole to get out of in 2026

What makes Michael Busch’s slow start alarming is that in each of the last two seasons, he’s had a batting average above .260 to start the season. He’s currently at .140. So Chicago Cubs fans that are alarmed are right to be. Maybe it’s an overreaction, maybe it's the Wrigley cold, but it’s justified as the Cubs’ promising 2026 season already feels like it’s crashing and burning. Busch’s struggles at the plate encompass quite a few things about this team right now. 

According to Sports Illustrated, Busch has a problem making contact this year. Since the beginning of the month, he has just two hits in 25 plate appearances. The game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 1 is the only one in which Busch has a hit in this month. The Cubs were relying on Busch to be a mainstay in this lineup after his 2025 breakout, but he might be regressing to the mean.

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