Among all the many disappointments for the Atlanta Braves in 2025, perhaps none has been more alarming than one previously budding star.
Yes, two-time Silver Slugger recipient Ozzie Albies has struggled mightily. Ronald Acuna Jr. did not make his long-awaited season debut until May 23, only to land back on the IL just over two months later. Spencer Strider has been pretty good yet inconsistent in his return from injury, while seemingly the rest of the Braves’ pitching staff has gotten hurt.
Still, with all that, the massive decline in performance from the bat of Michael Harris II during the first half of the season has been arguably the biggest and least predictable letdown.
“Money Mike” Is Bouncing Back
Going into the final weekend ahead of the All-Star break, Harris had seemingly forgotten how to hit altogether. It was that bad, as a .205/.229/.310 slash line over 90 games made him one of the worst qualifying hitters in all of MLB.
Things began to turn around for Harris during that weekend in St. Louis, however, as he picked up four hits, including a pair of doubles, over three games. He went into the four-day intermission on a positive note, and things have continued clicking over the past couple of weeks.
The Braves lost another close game in Cincinnati on Friday, but Harris picked up two singles over four at-bats and scored a run. That gives the 24-year-old center fielder seven multi-hit efforts in his last 10 games. Since the break, he has hit safely in 12 of 14 games.
Money Mike stays hot 🔥#InvescoQQQ | @InvescoUS pic.twitter.com/6MkNfSFyGc
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 30, 2025
Across those 14 contests, Harris has produced an outstanding .393/.424/.696 slash line with eight extra-base hits (3 HR), six RBI, and nine runs scored. The free-swinging speedster has even drawn three walks over 59 plate appearances (5.1%), which does not seem like much until compared to his mere 10 first-half walks (2.7%).
Harris’ elite line-drive rate (36.2%) and much-improved hard-hit rate (41.7%) are definite reasons for encouragement to this point in the second half. He has also shaved more than seven points off his strikeout rate (13.6%).
The Braves are still not winning, but as sad as it is, that’s not really the priority right now. The focus is instead on pulling off a rebound in 2026, and Harris will need to be a key component in achieving that goal. With the form he’s been showing lately, the former NL Rookie of the Year could be back on his previous track toward superstardom in Atlanta.