Improvers — who's outperforming (and underperforming) the model's 2026 projection

Each row shows the player's YTD 2026 actual rate (YTD) vs the current build's projected full-season rate (PROJ). Score = (YTD − PROJ) × √(sample size) — sample-weighted gap. Positive = beating projection; negative = falling short.
Hitters use OPS; pitchers use ERA (sign flipped — lower ERA = improvement). Min 80 PA (hitters) / 15 IP (pitchers). Generated 2026-07-30 07:05.

Hitters

📈 Improvers — top 30

#PlayerYTD OPSPROJΔ OPSScore
1
Esmerlyn Valdez
PIT · 155 PA · 14 HR
1.0430.913+0.130+1.6
2
Ryan Jeffers
MIN · 190 PA · 9 HR
0.9280.851+0.077+1.1
3
Austin Hedges
CLE · 162 PA · 4 HR
0.7570.675+0.082+1.0
4
Ty France
SD · 282 PA · 16 HR
0.8770.815+0.062+1.0
5
Endy Rodríguez
PIT · 130 PA · 5 HR
0.8340.743+0.091+1.0
6
CJ Abrams
WSH · 449 PA · 27 HR
0.9260.880+0.046+1.0
7
Luis Campusano
SD · 107 PA · 4 HR
0.8980.805+0.093+1.0
8
Andrew Vaughn
MIL · 204 PA · 4 HR
0.8830.817+0.066+0.9
9
Yordan Alvarez
HOU · 474 PA · 35 HR
1.0731.033+0.040+0.9
10
Jordan Walker
STL · 451 PA · 22 HR
0.8440.804+0.040+0.8
11
Cole Carrigg
COL · 159 PA · 5 HR
0.8920.825+0.067+0.8
12
Otto Lopez
MIA · 455 PA · 9 HR
0.8530.814+0.039+0.8
13
Joey Wiemer
WSH · 83 PA · 3 HR
0.9120.822+0.090+0.8
14
Samad Taylor
SD · 102 PA · 1 HR
0.8080.728+0.080+0.8
15
Pedro Ramírez
CHC · 99 PA · 1 HR
0.8280.747+0.081+0.8
16
Cooper Pratt
MIL · 128 PA · 2 HR
0.7620.690+0.072+0.8
17
Esteury Ruiz
MIA · 142 PA · 5 HR
0.8390.773+0.066+0.8
18
Pete Crow-Armstrong
CHC · 475 PA · 24 HR
0.9200.885+0.035+0.8
19
Ezequiel Duran
TEX · 373 PA · 12 HR
0.7740.735+0.039+0.8
20
Curtis Mead
BOS · 329 PA · 17 HR
0.8510.810+0.041+0.7
21
Zack Gelof
OAK · 247 PA · 11 HR
0.8020.756+0.046+0.7
22
Nick Gonzales
PIT · 426 PA · 6 HR
0.7780.744+0.034+0.7
23
Griffin Conine
MIA · 127 PA · 9 HR
0.9250.864+0.061+0.7
24
Jeremy Peña
HOU · 264 PA · 12 HR
0.8660.825+0.041+0.7
25
Kyle Karros
COL · 356 PA · 9 HR
0.7890.754+0.035+0.7
26
Tyrone Taylor
NYM · 155 PA · 9 HR
0.7810.729+0.052+0.7
27
Tommy Edman
LAD · 121 PA · 2 HR
0.8840.826+0.058+0.6
28
Trevor Larnach
MIN · 322 PA · 8 HR
0.8250.790+0.035+0.6
29
Nicky Lopez
TEX · 170 PA · 1 HR
0.6860.638+0.048+0.6
30
Jake Bauers
MIL · 386 PA · 18 HR
0.8610.830+0.031+0.6

📉 Underperforming — bottom 30

#PlayerYTD OPSPROJΔ OPSScore
1
Ha-Seong Kim
ATL · 82 PA · 0 HR
0.2390.510-0.271-2.5
2
Jorge Polanco
NYM · 105 PA · 1 HR
0.4180.636-0.218-2.2
3
Cal Raleigh
SEA · 324 PA · 11 HR
0.5760.660-0.084-1.5
4
Matt Wallner
MIN · 135 PA · 4 HR
0.5510.680-0.129-1.5
5
Marcell Ozuna
PIT · 276 PA · 8 HR
0.6100.699-0.089-1.5
6
TJ Friedl
CIN · 233 PA · 3 HR
0.5060.597-0.091-1.4
7
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
ARI · 189 PA · 2 HR
0.5410.640-0.099-1.4
8
Corey Seager
TEX · 219 PA · 10 HR
0.6670.757-0.090-1.3
9
Ke'Bryan Hayes
CIN · 158 PA · 3 HR
0.4260.530-0.104-1.3
10
Lenyn Sosa
TOR · 117 PA · 1 HR
0.4900.608-0.118-1.3
11
Pavin Smith
ARI · 89 PA · 1 HR
0.4280.563-0.135-1.3
12
Andrew McCutchen
TEX · 83 PA · 1 HR
0.5370.672-0.135-1.2
13
Austin Wells
NYY · 245 PA · 7 HR
0.5250.599-0.074-1.2
14
Rob Refsnyder
SEA · 126 PA · 4 HR
0.4670.570-0.103-1.2
15
Aaron Judge
NYY · 261 PA · 17 HR
0.9070.979-0.072-1.2
16
Rafael Marchán
PHI · 92 PA · 2 HR
0.3120.430-0.118-1.1
17
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
TOR · 435 PA · 6 HR
0.7020.756-0.054-1.1
18
Edgar Quero
CWS · 186 PA · 2 HR
0.4770.559-0.082-1.1
19
Jarren Duran
BOS · 425 PA · 13 HR
0.5950.649-0.054-1.1
20
Brent Rooker
OAK · 203 PA · 10 HR
0.6700.747-0.077-1.1
21
Ronald Acuña Jr.
ATL · 248 PA · 7 HR
0.7660.836-0.070-1.1
22
Nick Castellanos
SD · 122 PA · 4 HR
0.5600.660-0.100-1.1
23
Brenton Doyle
COL · 122 PA · 1 HR
0.5490.641-0.092-1.0
24
Gunnar Henderson
BAL · 496 PA · 18 HR
0.6850.728-0.043-1.0
25
Mookie Betts
LAD · 305 PA · 13 HR
0.6920.747-0.055-1.0
26
Carlos Narváez
BOS · 189 PA · 3 HR
0.5440.613-0.069-0.9
27
Ramón Laureano
SD · 206 PA · 7 HR
0.6600.725-0.065-0.9
28
Josh Smith
TEX · 152 PA · 1 HR
0.5700.645-0.075-0.9
29
Kyle Tucker
LAD · 421 PA · 9 HR
0.7040.749-0.045-0.9
30
Austin Riley
ATL · 438 PA · 12 HR
0.6340.678-0.044-0.9
Pitchers

📈 Improvers — top 30

#PitcherYTD ERAPROJΔ ERAScore
1
Randy Dobnak
KC · 26.0 IP · 4.8 K/9
1.044.83+3.79+19.3
2
Eduardo Rodriguez
ARI · 130.7 IP · 6.1 K/9
2.484.09+1.61+18.4
3
Troy Melton
DET · 67.0 IP · 8.1 K/9
1.753.90+2.15+17.6
4
Louis Varland
TOR · 55.0 IP · 11.9 K/9
0.982.96+1.98+14.7
5
Paul Blackburn
NYY · 58.7 IP · 6.8 K/9
2.154.06+1.91+14.6
6
Walbert Urena
LAA · 93.3 IP · 8.5 K/9
2.704.18+1.48+14.3
7
Robert Suarez
ATL · 32.0 IP · 7.3 K/9
0.563.01+2.45+13.9
8
Taylor Clarke
ARI · 48.3 IP · 4.7 K/9
2.234.12+1.89+13.1
9
Ben Brown
CHC · 68.0 IP · 8.6 K/9
1.853.43+1.58+13.0
10
Alimber Santa
HOU · 15.3 IP · 5.3 K/9
1.174.46+3.29+12.9
11
Brent Headrick
NYY · 54.3 IP · 10.4 K/9
1.333.07+1.74+12.8
12
Nick Martinez
TB · 117.3 IP · 5.1 K/9
2.453.61+1.16+12.6
13
Colin Holderman
CLE · 42.0 IP · 8.8 K/9
1.713.64+1.93+12.5
14
Max Meyer
MIA · 111.0 IP · 9.8 K/9
2.683.82+1.14+12.0
15
Bryan Baker
TB · 41.3 IP · 9.4 K/9
1.523.37+1.85+11.9
16
Chase Burns
CIN · 112.7 IP · 10.2 K/9
2.403.47+1.07+11.4
17
DL Hall
MIL · 31.0 IP · 9.3 K/9
2.034.03+2.00+11.1
18
Ryan Rolison
CHC · 40.7 IP · 9.3 K/9
2.664.39+1.73+11.0
19
Daniel Lynch IV
KC · 45.0 IP · 6.8 K/9
2.003.64+1.64+11.0
20
Luke Weaver
NYM · 43.0 IP · 9.2 K/9
1.883.55+1.67+10.9
21
Dylan Dodd
ATL · 32.7 IP · 9.9 K/9
2.204.01+1.81+10.3
22
Justin Wrobleski
LAD · 112.7 IP · 6.9 K/9
2.883.85+0.97+10.3
23
Robbie Ray
SF · 116.7 IP · 7.8 K/9
3.164.11+0.95+10.3
24
Jacob Waguespack
DET · 20.0 IP · 5.8 K/9
1.804.07+2.27+10.2
25
Ty Madden
DET · 27.0 IP · 10.3 K/9
2.674.56+1.89+9.8
26
Matt Brash
SEA · 16.7 IP · 8.1 K/9
0.542.94+2.40+9.8
27
Cam Booser
TB · 20.7 IP · 11.3 K/9
1.743.89+2.15+9.8
28
Brock Burke
CIN · 51.7 IP · 7.5 K/9
2.613.96+1.35+9.7
29
Jacob Latz
TEX · 50.0 IP · 9.2 K/9
1.803.17+1.37+9.7
30
Peter Lambert
HOU · 103.0 IP · 8.7 K/9
3.063.99+0.93+9.4

📉 Underperforming — bottom 30

#PitcherYTD ERAPROJΔ ERAScore
1
Kodai Senga
NYM · 40.7 IP · 10.8 K/9
8.854.31-4.54-29.0
2
Kyle Freeland
COL · 99.3 IP · 7.7 K/9
7.344.45-2.89-28.8
3
Matt Svanson
STL · 43.3 IP · 8.5 K/9
7.273.38-3.89-25.6
4
Grayson Rodriguez
LAA · 44.0 IP · 7.4 K/9
7.984.19-3.79-25.1
5
Max Scherzer
TOR · 24.7 IP · 6.6 K/9
9.494.44-5.05-25.1
6
Sean Sullivan
COL · 22.3 IP · 6.4 K/9
8.873.66-5.21-24.6
7
Michael Lorenzen
COL · 104.7 IP · 6.9 K/9
6.544.31-2.23-22.8
8
Jack Perkins
OAK · 68.3 IP · 10.5 K/9
6.453.71-2.74-22.6
9
Ryan Walker
SF · 26.3 IP · 6.5 K/9
7.523.25-4.27-21.9
10
Ryan Johnson
LAA · 41.7 IP · 7.3 K/9
7.344.00-3.34-21.6
11
Jason Alexander
HOU · 18.3 IP · 6.9 K/9
9.334.31-5.02-21.5
12
Jayden Murray
CHC · 16.3 IP · 7.7 K/9
9.374.23-5.14-20.8
13
Andrew Painter
PHI · 65.0 IP · 7.3 K/9
7.064.63-2.43-19.6
14
Luis García
MIN · 15.0 IP · 3.6 K/9
9.003.96-5.04-19.5
15
Taijuan Walker
PHI · 22.7 IP · 6.8 K/9
9.135.05-4.08-19.4
16
Trey Gibson
BAL · 33.0 IP · 8.2 K/9
7.364.09-3.27-18.8
17
Justin Topa
MIN · 19.0 IP · 5.7 K/9
8.053.76-4.29-18.7
18
Zac Gallen
ARI · 98.0 IP · 5.6 K/9
6.344.46-1.88-18.6
19
Pete Fairbanks
MIA · 33.3 IP · 12.1 K/9
6.753.56-3.19-18.4
20
David Peterson
CHC · 94.7 IP · 7.3 K/9
5.803.91-1.89-18.4
21
Hunter Greene
CIN · 21.7 IP · 12.0 K/9
7.063.13-3.93-18.3
22
Matt Strahm
KC · 34.7 IP · 7.5 K/9
6.753.66-3.09-18.2
23
Tanner Banks
PHI · 29.0 IP · 9.9 K/9
7.143.80-3.34-18.0
24
Garrett Crochet
BOS · 30.0 IP · 11.1 K/9
6.303.09-3.21-17.6
25
Matt Waldron
SD · 32.7 IP · 7.7 K/9
7.164.10-3.06-17.5
26
Griffin Canning
SD · 65.0 IP · 9.3 K/9
6.654.51-2.14-17.2
27
Justin Lawrence
WSH · 34.3 IP · 11.3 K/9
7.344.43-2.91-17.0
28
José Alvarado
PHI · 40.0 IP · 11.9 K/9
5.853.22-2.63-16.6
29
Jimmy Herget
COL · 28.3 IP · 9.2 K/9
6.673.55-3.12-16.6
30
Chris Roycroft
TB · 18.3 IP · 7.4 K/9
8.354.51-3.84-16.4