Seiya Suzuki leaves Christian Yelich, other NL Central DHs in the rearview mirror

2. Christian Yelich, Brewers

Sigh. It appears that Christian Yelich is good again- he doesn't bring the same slug to the table that he used to, but the lanky veteran is a definite threat to win the batting crown if he can stay healthy for a full season. The former MVP posted a .909 OPS last season before being sidelined due to chronic issues with his back that led to a surgical procedure. Even without elite slugging, he still provides an incredible amount of value, and he'll be counted on to anchor a young Brewers lineup now missing Wily Adames as their full-time DH. It's tough to evaluate how serious the surgery is and what the impact will be. Yelich has been inflicted with back issues frequently throughout his career, landing on the IL six different times with related issues. His questionable readiness for the spring should concern Brewers fans and drop him definitively below Suzuki.

3. Alec Burleson, Cardinals

Burleson is another guy that had no business playing the field as often as he did in 2024 and will settle into a full time DH role in 2025. He's been known for his contact skills since his minor league days, and he provides middling slugging alongside his low K rates. However, Burleson's similarly low BB rate extremely deflates his OBP skills and he's been well below average in the category. Fangraphs doesn't love the Cardinal's power potential this year, and it would be difficult for a full-time DH to provide significant value to his club without improving his on-base and slugging skills. Burleson is yet another one of the Cardinals' cadre of intriguing but flawed young players.