A hot streak doesn’t mean you’re the best in baseball—it means you’re way above your own baseline. That’s why Nolan Arenado shows up here with an OPS of 1.577 for the week of September 7–13, when his season average sits at .774. The gap is massive: +0.803 points. The same logic applies to the cold list: these aren’t bad players, they’re stars who dipped hard. José Ramírez, for example, is batting .091 this week after averaging .234 all season. Context, not verdict.
The hot ones: when everything clicks
| Player | Team | Week OPS | Season OPS | Difference | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan Arenado | Arizona Diamondbacks | 1.577 | .774 | +0.803 | 3 |
| Brice Turang | Milwaukee Brewers | 1.601 | .808 | +0.793 | 2 |
| Kazuma Okamoto | Toronto Blue Jays | 1.553 | .772 | +0.781 | 4 |
| Jackson Merrill | San Diego Padres | 1.521 | .752 | +0.769 | 3 |
| Travis Bazzana | Cleveland Guardians | 1.295 | .750 | +0.545 | 2 |
| Riley Greene | Detroit Tigers | 1.306 | .857 | +0.449 | 2 |
| Cody Bellinger | New York Yankees | 1.203 | .781 | +0.422 | 3 |
Latin stars on fire: Tatis, Chourio, and Contreras lead
Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres) batted .522 with an OPS of 1.346, topping his season mark (.819) by +0.527 points. Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers, Venezuela) was even more consistent: .481 average with 2 home runs in 29 plate appearances, lifting his OPS from .824 to 1.332. William Contreras (Milwaukee Brewers, Venezuela) added 3 homers and 12 RBIs in 24 PAs, pushing his OPS to 1.206.
Also shining: Elly De La Cruz (Cincinnati Reds, Dominican Republic) with .375 average and 3 homers, Otto López (Miami Marlins, Dominican Republic) with .500 average, and Isaac Paredes (Houston Astros, Mexico) with 3 homers on the week.
The ice cold: when nothing falls
One cold week doesn’t define anyone. Miguel Vargas (Chicago White Sox, Cuba) batted .125 after averaging .250 all season—a drop of -0.556 OPS points. Ezequiel Durán (Texas Rangers, Dominican Republic) barely made contact: .087 average, -0.479 points below his line. José Ramírez (Cleveland Guardians, Dominican Republic), a season star, fell to .091 with zero homers, down -0.474 points.
On the non-Latino side, Daylen Lile (Washington Nationals) and Royce Lewis (Minnesota Twins) also hit the wall. Ozzie Albies (Atlanta Braves, Curaçao) barely reached .083 average.
| Player | Team | Week OPS | Season OPS | Difference | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miguel Vargas | Chicago White Sox | .285 | .841 | -0.556 | 0 |
| Ezequiel Durán | Texas Rangers | .279 | .758 | -0.479 | 0 |
| José Ramírez | Cleveland Guardians | .221 | .695 | -0.474 | 0 |
| Daylen Lile | Washington Nationals | .326 | .740 | -0.414 | 0 |
| Royce Lewis | Minnesota Twins | .293 | .674 | -0.381 | 0 |
| Colson Montgomery | Chicago White Sox | .355 | .710 | -0.355 | 0 |
| Kyle Stowers | Miami Marlins | .422 | .773 | -0.351 | 0 |
| Ozzie Albies | Atlanta Braves | .356 | .701 | -0.345 | 0 |
Home run leaders of the week
Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays) led with 4 homers in 24 plate appearances. Coby Mayo (Baltimore Orioles) also hit 4. Francisco Lindor (New York Mets, Puerto Rico) reached 4 homers with 9 RBIs. Victor Mesa Jr. (Tampa Bay Rays, Cuba) was the most explosive: 3 homers with a 1.914 OPS in just 22 plate appearances. Nolan Arenado rounded out the list with 3 homers.
FAQ
Why does a star player show up on the cold list? Because we compare against their own season baseline, not the league average. José Ramírez is a .234 hitter this season, so when he bats .091 in one week, he’s well below his personal standard.
Does one cold week mean a player is in trouble? Not necessarily. Seven days is a tiny sample. Pitcher adjustments, luck, and fatigue all play a role. You need to see if the slump extends.
What is OPS? It’s on-base percentage plus slugging percentage. It measures both your ability to reach base and your power. An OPS of 1.000 or higher is excellent.
