Biggest Fantasy Baseball Busts Of The First Half (2026)

July 13, 2026

Joey discusses the biggest fantasy baseball busts of 2026 so far. These MLB players have not lived up to expectations for fantasy baseball in the first half.

There are always fantasy baseball busts every season. These players are often drafted very high and don't live up to their high average draft position. Those who select these busts early in drafts are then put in a really hard place. They are likely too good to drop, but it's almost impossible to trade them away for their value because no one wants them. 

For this article, we will look at the biggest busts from the first half of the fantasy baseball season. All 11 players featured below had an ADP inside the top 75 in Fantrax drafts, but these stars haven't lived up to their ADP. For the sake of this article, we will try to avoid players who have been injured for the majority of the season, like Garrett Crochet, Francisco Lindor, Roman Anthony, and Edwin Diaz.

While these players have been busts, it's a bit unfair to include them when they've missed more games than they've played. For an injured player to be considered on this list, they have had to play at least half of their team's games this season. So, let's take a look at the biggest busts in the first half.

Ronald Acuna Jr. OF, Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. just makes the cut since he has played in 57% of games this season. Although he has spent two different stints on the injured list due to a left hamstring strain, Acuna is absolutely one of the bigger busts from the first half. The former National League MVP had a top-10 ADP on Fantrax, and fantasy managers who drafted him expected him to return to that MVP level.

Ronald Acuna Jr. preparing to begin a rehab assignment. He should back in the Braves’ lineup after the All-Star break pic.twitter.com/AysvSszVvN

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 4, 2026

When he has been on the field, though, that hasn't been the case. Acuna is slashing .251/.373/.421 with seven home runs, 10 doubles, 22 RBI, 31 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases in 53 games. If you also add in the two IL stints for him this year, there's no doubt that the Braves outfielder has been a letdown in 2026.

Kyle Tucker, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker is one of the biggest fantasy busts in the first half. Tucker was the 12th-ranked player on Fantrax's big board and even went sixth overall in RotoBaller's staff writer league. That was obviously way too high for a player who hasn't been a top-25 player at his own position this year.

Tucker is slashing .249/.349/.382 with seven home runs, 17 doubles, 47 RBI, and six stolen bases across 88 games. His home run numbers are down, his stolen base numbers are down, and most importantly, he has not been a productive fantasy option. Things might not get better for the Dodgers outfielder, as his barrel rate (4.3%) is the lowest of his career. 

Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners

If you take a catcher early in drafts, you have to make sure that catcher is far and away above the rest. Unfortunately, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh's numbers have taken a massive step back from 2025. After hitting 60 home runs and totaling 125 RBI in a career year, the American League MVP runner-up is batting just .168 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 62 games in 2026.

There might not be a bigger fantasy bust in the first half than Raleigh. His power has disappeared, and his metrics suggest that he won't turn it around in the second half. The switch-hitting catcher ranks in the first percentile in expected batting average (.177), first percentile in squared-up rate (14.6%), 11th percentile in xwOBA (.286), and 22nd percentile in expected slugging (.358).

Gunnar Henderson, SS, Baltimore Orioles

What made Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson such an appealing fantasy option early in drafts was his potential to carry a high batting average while also hitting close to 30 home runs and stealing close to 30 bases. That same player, though, did not show up in the first half. Henderson has a low .219/.291/.396 slash line with 16 home runs, 16 doubles, 40 RBI, and seven stolen bases in 93 games this season.

hell yeah, Gunnar! 😤 pic.twitter.com/JOVjDOgmFu

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 7, 2026

Although the lefty slugger is on pace for close to 30 home runs, his poor batting average, low RBI totals, and below-average stolen base numbers are all reasons why he is a first-half bust. Henderson had a top-20 ADP in most leagues and was even drafted in the back half of the first round. He hasn't lived up to that player.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B/DH, Toronto Blue Jays

Fantasy managers selected Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the second round of drafts this past spring for his home runs, high RBI totals, and a batting average around .300. But Guerrero is slacking in all three categories this season, as his .262 batting average, five home runs, and 37 RBI across 88 games are extremely poor.

It has been such a weird year for Guerrero, given that his power seems to have disappeared. His expected slugging (.410) sits around league average, his barrel rate (7%) ranks in the 38th percentile, and both his squared-up rate (25.6%) and launch angle sweet-spot rate (29.8%) are both massively down from last year. The Blue Jays slugger was a top-20 pick in most drafts entering the season.

Manny Machado, 3B, San Diego Padres

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado is slowly breaking out of his early-season slump. He has seven home runs over his last 19 games and is now up to 19 home runs on the year. But this recent hot stretch doesn't take away from the fact that Machado has been a massive bust in the first half of the fantasy season. The seven-time All-Star is batting only .193 with 19 home runs, 52 RBI, and two stolen bases across 90 games.

Even though his home run and RBI numbers have started to even out, his batting average and stolen base numbers are still well below where they should be. For a player that most fantasy managers drafted in the third or fourth round of drafts, Machado has to put up better numbers in those two categories. Last year, he finished with a .275 batting average and 14 stolen bases.

Bryan Woo, SP, Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo entered the season as a safe pick in the early rounds. He established himself as a consistent fantasy pitcher after back-to-back sub-3.00 ERA seasons and was ranked as the seventh-best pitcher to draft on Fantrax. However, Woo has been anything but consistent throughout the 2026 campaign.

The former All-Star has a 4.23 ERA and a 24.1% strikeout rate across 104 1/3 innings pitched. He has a whopping 5.16 ERA since the middle of May, and Woo can't seem to pitch away from T-Mobile Park with a 6.28 road ERA. It's crazy to see how poorly the Mariners right-hander has pitched this season, especially since he had an average 35.2 ADP across all platforms. 

Freddy Peralta, SP, New York Mets

New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta was a high-floor selection at his 51 ADP on Fantrax this past spring. He struck out over 200 batters in three consecutive seasons and was coming off the best season of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025. Peralta finished with a 2.70 ERA and a 28.2% strikeout rate across 176 2/3 innings pitched.

This year, Peralta has gone off the rails. He has a 4.68 ERA and a 22% strikeout rate in 100 innings pitched. The two-time All-Star is expected to finish with fewer than 200 strikeouts for the first time since the 2022 season, and he has a 5.40 ERA since May 1. Although some positive regression is headed Peralta's way in the second half (3.75 expected ERA), he was surely a bust in the first half.

Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has easily been one of the biggest fantasy busts from the first half. After being ranked 53rd on Fantrax's big board entering the season, Riley has definitely not lived up to that ADP. He is slashing just .207/.284/.332 with nine home runs, 13 doubles, 41 RBI, and five stolen bases across 92 games.

Game on!

Riley puts us on the board! pic.twitter.com/8W3jUSqsec

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 11, 2026

It has no doubt been hard to own Riley in fantasy leagues in the first half. His batting average is barely above .200, and he's only on pace for 16 home runs. Things don't appear to be getting better either, as the former All-Star has a .202 expected batting average, .287 xwOBA, .364 expected slugging, and a 19.5% squared-up rate.

Eugenio Suárez, 3B/DH, Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez was a top power bat to target early in drafts. He hit at least 30 home runs in four of his last five seasons and just hit a career-high 49 long balls with 119 RBI across 159 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. That's ultimately why he was ranked 63rd overall in Fantrax drafts.

If you drafted Suarez, though, it has been a rough go-around. He is batting just .201 with nine home runs, 10 doubles, and 32 RBI across 64 games. Considering he is on pace to finish with his worst power numbers since the shortened 2020 season, the Reds slugger is one of the bigger busts from the first half. He also had a top-85 ADP in CBS leagues and Yahoo! formats.

Framber Valdez, SP, Detroit Tigers

The last big fantasy bust from the first half is Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez. The southpaw has been Mr. Consistent on the mound over the last few years, but that hasn't been the case to start the 2026 season. Valdez will head into the All-Star break with a 4.10 ERA and a career-worst 18.6% strikeout rate.

While he could be turning a corner after throwing seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts in his last start, he has still been a massive disappointment in fantasy so far. Valdez is having a hard time missing bats with an 18th-percentile whiff rate (21.1%) and a 23rd-percentile strikeout rate.

Honorable Mentions: Mookie Betts, Jarren Duran, Alex Bregman

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