In the next part of my positional rankings, I rank the designated hitters in the American League East. Only seven players in 2016 accrued more than 400 AB as the DH, so this is an ever changing “position,” as it were. However, those seven players averaged 31 HR and 92 RBI for the season, so there is definitely an emphasis placed on the role of the DH.

With the fluidity of the position being what it is, it would normally be hard to define a true DH for each team. For example, Pedro Alvarez, who will start this season in the minors for the Orioles, had the second most ABs in the division last year as a designated hitter.

This season, however, there are a number of players whom are limited defensively, making my job a tad easier. From Matt Holliday to Mark Trumbo to Hanley Ramirez, the DH slot in the AL East has the potential for greatness in 2017, something most fans are accustomed to in the division. In the AL East, perhaps the most prominent DH of all time resided in Boston for 14 seasons in the form of David Ortiz. But with Ortiz now retired, who will take the reigns as the best in the division?

Other Positions:

Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Third Base
Shortstop
Left Field
Centerfield
Right Field

Designated Hitters

1. Hanley Ramirez – Boston Red Sox

2016: .286/.361/.505, 30 HR, 111 RBI

The 2006 NL Rookie of the Year, Ramirez has three All-Star appearances, two Silver Sluggers, and an NL batting title (2009) on his resume. Despite all that, Ramirez in 2016 turned in his best season since his 2009 campaign.

Signed to a four-year, $88M contract prior to the 2015 season, Ramirez’s first season in Boston was forgettable. But in 2016, he earned every bit of that contract. Ramirez was arguably Boston’s best hitter down the stretch, blasting 22 HR to go along with 63 RBI after the All-Star break, coming through with clutch hit after clutch hit while leading Boston to its first division title since 2013.

Though Ramirez played a solid first base in 2016 (just four errors in 133 games), his talent has always been in the batter’s box. With Mitch Moreland taking over at first in 2017, Ramirez will see most of his ABs as the team’s DH, allowing him to focus almost entirely on the offensive side of his game. With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see a similar, if not better, season from Ramirez in 2017.

2. Matt Holliday – New York Yankees

2016: .246/.322/.461, 20 HR, 62 RBI

A lifetime .303 hitter, Holliday also has an NL batting title under his belt, batting ,340 in 2007 while a member of the Colorado Rockies. To go along with that are seven All-Star appearances, four Silver Sluggers, a runner-up finish for the MVP in that 2007 season, and a World Championship.

One of baseball’s grittiest players, Holliday’s age has seemingly caught up with him over the last two seasons as the slugger has missed significant time due to injury, playing in just 183 games over that time span. Still, Holliday is a pure hitter, and as a full-time DH for the first time in his career, the Yankees are hopeful that keeping him out of the defensive side of the game will lead to a renaissance in the batter’s box.

3. Kendrys Morales – Toronto Blue Jays

2016: .263/.327/.468, 30 HR, 93 RBI

After an injury-plagued 2014 season that saw him slash just .218/.274/.338, Morales has rebounded nicely over the last two seasons in Kansas City, averaging 26 HR and 100 RBI in his two seasons there. Now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Morales joins an offensive juggernaut in the hopes of filling the void left in the lineup by the departed Edwin Encarnacion.

The 2015 AL Silver Slugger at DH, Morales has proven that if he can stay healthy, he can be a force in any lineup. With the likes of Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Troy Tulowitzki hitting around him, Morales could–and should–post another strong season in 2017 as the Blue Jays look to make a third straight playoff appearance.

4. Mark Trumbo – Baltimore Orioles

2016: .256/.316/.533, 47 HR, 108 RBI

Trumbo had a career year in 2016, his 47 HR giving the Orioles the Major League leader in home runs for a fourth consecutive season. A two-time All-Star, Trumbo’s monster performance earned him a Silver Slugger award, prompting the Orioles to re-sign him to a three-year, $37.5M deal in the offseason.

So how, with his eye-popping 2016 campaign, is Trumbo not ranked higher on this list? Well, for starters, he strikes out a ton – 170 times last season, to be exact. Trumbo has also registered an OBP below .300 four times in his career and has just a .303 lifetime OBP, a number far too low for someone with his prolific power. And perhaps the most shocking number of all for Trumbo is his number in the sacrifice fly department last season: zero. A big, fat goose egg. Not one other player in the division with at least 300 AB accomplished that feat in 2016.

For Trumbo to move up on this list, he is going to have to be more selective at the plate and take better advantage of run-scoring opportunities. Until then, the other DH options ahead of him in the division are just too good with the bat for him to move up.

5. Corey Dickerson – Tampa Bay Rays

2016: .245/.293/.469, 24 HR, 70 RBI

For Dickerson, 2016 was a season he’d soon like to forget. While his power numbers were there, his .245 BA and .293 OBP were career-lows, and his 134 Ks were a career high, not exactly a recipe for success, especially in the AL East. Though his previous three seasons suggest that 2016 was a fluke for Dickerson, professional sports are all about “what have you done for me recently,” and his career resume simply isn’t long enough to give him the benefit of the doubt here. A strong 2017 season could go a long way towards improving his ranking, but until then, it’s the bottom of the division for Corey.

Backups

The backups for designated hitters on each team is a bit of a crap-shoot, as anybody on the roster can fill the role on any given day. With that in mind, these are who I think will get the second-most ABs as the DH on each team.

1. Pablo Sandoval – Boston Red Sox

2016: Missed all but three games due to injury

2. Chris Carter – New York Yankees

2016: .222/.321/.499, 41 HR, 94 RBI

3. Brad Miller – Tampa Bay Rays

2016: .243/.304/.482, 30 HR, 81 RBI

4. Steve Pearce – Toronto Blue Jays

2016: .288/.374/.492, 13 HR, 35 RBI

5. Trey Mancini – Baltimore Orioles

2016:  MLB:.357/.400/1.071, 3 HR, 5 RBI (5 games); AAA: .282/.357/.482, 20 HR, 68 RBI

That does it for the designated hitters–and position players–in the AL East. As always, this list is up for debate, and is just one man’s opinion, nothing more. Now that we’re done with the regulars of the lineups, we’ll move on to arguably the most important part of any team: the pitching staffs, starting with the bullpens.