Where did Brandon Belt rank among MLB first basemen in 2019?

Brandon Belt

PA: 616—8th
BA: .234—33rd
OBP: .339—24th
SLG: .403—35th
OPS: .742—t-28th
OPS+: 98—t-25th
H: 123—14th
2B: 32—t-7th
HR: 17—t-24th
RBI: 57—24th
R: 76—13th
WAR: 0.6—t-27th

Let’s start with the good.

After suffering myriad injuries over the years, Belt played 156 games and finished in the top 10 among first basemen in plate appearances and doubles.

Despite his low batting average, he maintained a respectable .339 on-base percentage thanks to a strong 13.5 percent walk rate. To that point, his 83 walks ranked 16th in the majors.

However, his .403 slugging percentage and .742 OPS made him a below-average offensive performer regardless of his position, and a well-below-average offensive contributor for a first baseman.

With two years and $34.4 million left on the five-year, $72.8 million extension he signed at the start of the 2016 season, the Giants are more or less stuck with him.

However, with top prospect Joey Bart closing in on the catching gig and Buster Posey likely to slide over to first base once he arrives, it’s fair to wonder how Belt factors into the team’s future plans.

Not all that long ago, he was an NL All-Star during the 2016 season, hitting .275/.394/.474 with 41 doubles, 17 home runs and 82 RBI en route to a 4.6 WAR season.

Can he return to that form, or at least something close?

The San Francisco Giants are going to be looking for ways to bolster the offensive attack this offseason, and after Brandon Belt turned in a disappointing season, it will be interesting to see how they approach the first base position in 2020 and beyond.