Luke Voit
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Strike Zone

May 1B and DH Rankings

by Matthew Pouliot
Updated On: May 1, 2019, 4:50 am ET

Up this week are the May rest-of-season position rankings and overall top 300. Remember that players are listed where they’re most valuable, so if you don’t see someone you’re looking for, check another position. Designated hitters are listed with the first basemen.

Click to see other May rankings:

Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

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First Baseman and Designated Hitter Rankings

MayFirst BaseTeam2019
1Cody BellingerDodgers3
2Freddie FreemanBraves1
3Paul GoldschmidtCardinals2
4Anthony RizzoCubs4
5Jose AbreuWhite Sox5
6Luke VoitYankees7
1 DHKhris DavisAthletics1 DH
2 DHNelson CruzTwins2 DH
7Joey VottoReds6
3 DHShohei OhtaniAngels3 DH
8Miguel CabreraTigers8
9Josh BellPirates12
10Pete AlonsoMets19
11Ian DesmondRockies9
12Matt OlsonAthletics16
13C.J. CronTwins11
14Edwin EncarnacionMariners15
15Eric HosmerPadres10
16Justin SmoakBlue Jays20
17Christian WalkerDiamondbacks47
18Jake BauersIndians18
19Jesus AguilarBrewers13
20Carlos SantanaIndians23
21Jose MartinezCardinals21
22Dan VogelbachMariners46
23Tyler WhiteAstros17
24Rowdy TellezBlue Jays30
25Ronald GuzmanRangers24
26Justin BourAngels25
27Brandon BeltGiants29
28Ryan ZimmermanNationals26
29Nate LoweRays56
30Yonder AlonsoWhite Sox32
31Albert PujolsAngels36
32Steve PearceRed Sox28
33Matt AdamsNationals38
34Ji-Man ChoiRays6 DH
35Logan MorrisonYankees34
36Mitch MorelandRed Sox40
4 DHMark TrumboOrioles5 DH
37Hanley Ramirez 22
38Chris DavisOrioles33
39Mark ReynoldsRockies37
40Ryan O'HearnRoyals35
41Kendrys MoralesAthletics7 DH
42Dominic SmithMets44
5 DHEvan Gattis 8 DH
43Lucas DudaRoyals43
44Tyler AustinGiants42
45Matt DavidsonRangers41

 

Dropping off: Greg Bird (39th), Frank Schwindel (45th)

 

  • I mix in the remaining DHs along with the first basemen here to give one a better idea of where they rank. The big three DHs are all still about the same in the top 300 as they were a month ago. I had Joey Votto 71st, Khris Davis 72nd, Nelson Cruz 80th and Shohei Ohtani 91st in the preseason. Votto has slid down some since then, while Luke Voit, who was originally 108th, has leapfrogged all of them.
  • The Astros are pretty much rotating Tyler White, Tony Kemp and Jake Marisnick so that each one plays once every three days. I imagine the hope is that one will get hot and win the day, but it’s really hard to get hot as a hitter while playing twice per week. I still like White as a mixed-league guy if he earns a longer look. As is, he’s started on consecutive days just once all season (he went 4-for-4 with three walks on April 22-23 and then rode the pine the next two days).
  • Nate Lowe got a callup from the Rays after hitting .300/.444/.543 with three homers and a 19/17 K/BB ratio in 21 games for Triple-A Durham, and he figures to see a lot of time against righties, at least until Austin Meadows comes off the IL. Like Ji-Man Choi, Lowe is a left-handed hitter who is limited to first base, so one imagines there will be room for only one of the two once the Rays get healthier. Perhaps Lowe will win out in that battle -- I’m giving him the higher ranking here -- but I don’t think he’s an immediate pickup in mixed leagues.