Michael Harris II’s Midseason Turnaround Ignites Braves Playoff Push

Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II has pulled off one of the wildest midseason turnarounds I’ve seen in a while. He started out in a brutal offensive slump, stuck with the league’s worst OPS before the All-Star break. Now, he’s flipped everything on its head. His bat’s gone nuclear, and suddenly the Braves—who were totally out of postseason talks—look kind of dangerous again.

From Offensive Struggle to Crushing the Baseball

Before the break, things looked pretty bleak for Harris. He was hitting just .210 with a .551 OPS, which put him at the very bottom among qualified hitters.

It wasn’t just bad luck, either. Mechanical tweaks to his stance messed with his timing at the plate.

The Turning Point Came in Mid-Air

Everything changed during a team flight to Sacramento. Harris started watching old minor league at-bats and realized his hands sat way lower than before.

He remembered advice from Hall of Famer Chipper Jones: keep your hands up to get a better path to the ball. Harris didn’t wait—he went right back to his natural stance.

That tweak didn’t just help—it sparked a full-on offensive surge.

A Second-Half Surge for the Ages

Since the All-Star break, Harris has been a nightmare for pitchers. Over his last 30 games, he’s batting a wild .398 with a 1.144 OPS. That’s third-best in the majors during that stretch.

Since July 25, the numbers are even more ridiculous:

• Majors-leading .430 average
• 1.251 OPS in that same span
• 46 hits in his last 26 games — no Brave has done that since 2010

The Eight-Game Multi-Hit Streak

During this heater, Harris put together an 11-game hitting streak and eight straight multi-hit games, tying a franchise record. He sprayed line drives everywhere, ran the bases hard, and made life miserable for opposing defenses.

Doing It All — Even During the Slump

Manager Brian Snitker made sure people noticed that, even when Harris couldn’t buy a hit, his defense in center field stayed elite. His glove, range, and cannon arm kept him valuable no matter what was happening at the plate.

Now that the bat’s back, Harris looks like one of the most complete players out there.

A Rare Bright Spot Amid Mixed Fortunes

Not everything’s rosy for Atlanta, though. Ace Spencer Strider has hit a rough patch, giving up 20 runs over his last three starts.

But the Braves have won eight of their last ten games, and Harris’s energy at the top of the order has played a huge part in that.

Resurrecting the Numbers

Harris’ second-half tear has bumped his average from .210 to .260 and his OPS from .555 to .706. Those numbers just keep creeping up, and honestly, who knows how high he can push them before the season wraps up?

Returning to Rookie of the Year Form

At 24, Harris is starting to look like the guy who won 2022 NL Rookie of the Year. He mixes power, speed, contact, and defense in a way that screams five-tool player.

His teammates? They’re convinced he’s on the verge of his first All-Star nod. I wouldn’t bet against it.

The Big Picture

For the Braves, Harris’ revival feels like more than just a feel-good story. It’s a glimpse into what might come next.

With his mechanics finally back in sync and his confidence climbing, he’s reminding folks why he was once seen as one of baseball’s brightest young stars. If he can keep this going into next season, Atlanta could find itself right back in the thick of things—with Harris leading the way.

Right now, Braves fans get to watch a player who’s found his swing again. He’s revived his season and, maybe more importantly, brought some real excitement back to his career.

 
Here is the source article for this story: From worst to nearly first: Inside Michael Harris II’s midseason turnaround for Braves