Every baseball fan knows the thrill of watching a slugger crush home runs like it’s batting practice. But even the most feared hitters can go from fireworks to foul balls faster than you can say “slump.”
Whether it was injuries, age, or just plain bad luck, these sluggers went from terrifying pitchers to looking completely lost at the plate. Here are 17 big bats who, for one reason or another, just forgot how to hit.
17. Chris Davis
At one point, pitchers feared him. Then came the historic hitless streak that made Orioles fans want to cover their eyes.
16. Miguel Sano
He had the power, no doubt about that. Unfortunately, he also had a strikeout rate that made pitchers smile before he even stepped in the box.
15. Cody Bellinger
From MVP to “what happened?” in record time. His swing mechanics got so twisted that it looked like he was guessing half the time.
14. Joey Gallo
The home runs were majestic, but the whiffs were plentiful. He either launched one into orbit or walked straight back to the dugout.
13. Justin Upton
He teased stardom for years but couldn’t keep the bat hot. Eventually, the strikeouts and injuries caught up with him.
12. Jason Bay
He looked like a steal for the Mets—until he picked up a bat. His power disappeared faster than a foul ball into the stands.
11. Mark Reynolds
He mashed with the best of them when he made contact. The problem was that making contact became more of a rumor than a reality.
10. Travis Hafner
“Pronk” could rake in his prime, but his bat went silent after injuries piled up. He became a shadow of the slugger fans once loved.
9. Chris Carter
For a hot minute, he led the league in homers. Then he led the league in “Where’d he go?” moments at the plate.
8. Domonic Brown
Once hailed as the next big thing, he quickly faded. The pop in his bat fizzled out almost as fast as it arrived.
7. Adam Dunn
He always struck out a ton, but the power made up for it—until it didn’t. By the end, he looked more like a guess hitter than a threat.
6. Ike Davis
He had one breakout year that got Mets fans hyped. But the bat cooled off and never really woke back up.
5. Pablo Sandoval
The “Kung Fu Panda” had October magic, but the regular seasons got rough. His bat speed slowed, and the results followed suit.
4. Jay Bruce
He started as a consistent slugger but gradually lost his edge. By the end, it felt like pitchers dared him to do damage, and he couldn’t.
3. Jesus Aguilar
He had that one All-Star season where everything clicked. However, the hits stopped coming, and so did the playing time.
Read More: 15 MLB Pitchers Who Threw More Tantrums Than Strikes
2. Ryan Howard
The former MVP had a violent swing that used to launch bombs. But once his timing slipped, the strikeouts took over.
Read More: Ranking the 20 Most Charismatic MLB Stars Ever
1. Albert Pujols (Angels Era)
One of the greatest hitters ever, but let’s be real—his Angels years were tough to watch. The bat speed just wasn’t there, and neither were the results.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Greatest MLB Switch-Hitters of All Time
