Trumbo will see the bulk of his at-bats at designated hitter in 2017, Buster Onley reports.

EDGE Analysis

With newly-acquired Seth Smith to man right field routinely, Trumbo will have to change his mindset heading into 2017. Last season, nearly 60 percent of the home run champ's at-bats came while he was penciled in on defense, and that number will be even larger in his upcoming campaign. Some would argue that playing the field distracts hitters from thinking too much about their next at-bat, while others would suggest taking hacks in the tunnel while your team is on defense is more beneficial. The former seems to hold more truth for Trumbo, who's three-year splits show a noticeable decline in production when he's not playing the field. Smith has struggled throughout his career against lefties, so Trumbo may wind up in the outfield more than the team's preseason plans suggest. He's also slated to see a slight uptick in time at first base.