ATLANTA — Michael Harris II was statistically one in all MLB’s worst hitters through the first half of the 2025 season and one of many recreation’s high offensive threats over the month that adopted the All-Star break.
Sadly, this wasn’t essentially a totally new expertise for the Braves heart fielder, who has battled inconsistencies since profitable the 2022 Nationwide League Rookie of the Yr Award.
“You simply need to take it in the future at a time,” Harris stated. “You may’t take into consideration the previous, and also you certain can’t get caught up sooner or later. It’s nearly being the place your toes are and attempting to be higher than you have been yesterday.”
Harris has exited every of the previous three seasons as a high bounceback candidate for the next season. The consistency he displayed in 2022 has since eluded him. However he nonetheless loved some stretches throughout which it’s straightforward to grasp why his teammates imagine he might in the future achieve celebrity standing.
“He’s some of the proficient guys on the sector, any area you step on,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson stated.
This was why it was so baffling when Harris entered this previous season’s All-Star break ranked final amongst all certified MLB gamers with a .551 OPS. Sure, he had endured tough stretches to start the 2023 and ’24 seasons. However he had by no means struggled to that degree. And a few of his earlier struggles at the very least may very well be blamed on accidents.
Harris completed August 2024 with a .652 OPS after which produced a .923 OPS over 26 video games in September. His robust end led former Braves supervisor Brian Snitker to say he regarded ahead to seeing what the younger outfielder might do if he remained wholesome over a whole season.
Nicely, Harris performed 160 video games in 2025 (22 greater than his earlier profession excessive). However ideas of him incomes his first All-Star choice or notching a 30-homer, 30-stolen base season shortly evaporated throughout his disastrous first half.
Making important adjustments to swing mechanics throughout a season can show detrimental. However Harris was determined. So, he started elevating his arms again towards his shoulders, like they have been throughout his Minor League days. Throughout Harris’ first week on the MLB degree, former Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer had prompt decreasing the arms in his batting stance.
That adjustment labored on the time and helped Harris style success throughout parts of his first few seasons. However he felt misplaced most of this previous summer time and started transferring his arms again towards his shoulder whereas the Braves have been in West Sacramento taking part in the Athletics the week earlier than the All-Star break. He instantly realized important enchancment.
Harris ranked third amongst qualifiers with a 1.139 OPS from July 18 to Aug. 19. He then had an unsightly .311 OPS over his subsequent 22 video games from Aug. 20 to Sept. 13. However simply when it regarded like he was destined to finish on a down observe, he constructed a .968 OPS over his ultimate 14 video games.
This second-half success and final-month turnaround prevented Harris’ 2025 season from being a complete catastrophe. On the identical time, the encouraging end created motive to as soon as once more be optimistic in regards to the younger outfielder’s capacity to rebound subsequent yr.
