How Long Does Michael Harris II Get the Benefit of the Doubt?

There is no hiding his alarmingly low stats when compared to his prior three-year average. But how does bounce back?

Slow Starter

Harris has historically been a slow starter in his relatively short career. Across March and April, Harris owns just a .682 OPS with an 87 wRC+. May has been even tougher, with a career .545 OPS and 50 wRC+. In total, his first-half production sits at a modest .690 OPS and 88 wRC+.

But once the calendar flips to June, something seems to click.

Harris has never posted lower than a .743 OPS or a 100 wRC+ for the month from June through the season’s end. Overall in the second half, he boasts a .864 OPS and 136 wRC+. This is the Harris we all know.

Yes, it’s a small sample size across a young career, but this pattern is noteworthy.

As we enter June, it’s a storyline worth tracking. The Braves, and Harris, are hoping history repeats itself. The team could certainly use that offense right now.

Changes To Be Made

To me, one of the most fixable issues is his launch angle. Harris has a career launch angle of just 6.6 degrees and hits the ball on the ground at a 50.7% clip. This is a tough way to generate power and produce in today’s MLB.

If he can lift the ball a little more consistently, I believe results will follow. We have seen flashes of his gap-to-gap and home run power before.

With a long swing, Harris does have the capability to cover the entire zone and drive the ball to all fields. What he needs now is more trust in his hands and better selectivity at the plate.

These are not changes that can be accomplished overnight, but with the season already slipping away, the clock is ticking for 2025.

Defensively, Harris continues to be elite. He’s already posted +6 Outs Above Average (96th percentile) and continues to show off his 85th-percentile arm strength. He’s quite literally kept the team in games with his glove. That kind of impact shouldn’t be overlooked.

Don’t Give Up Just Yet

With team control until 2033, there is no reason to abandon ship on Harris this early. There’s no reason to even think about giving up on Harris this early. The tools are there. The makeup is there. The track record is there.

As the Braves fall 10 games below .500 and playoff hopes dwindle, this is the time you need to put trust in your core players. One bad season doesn’t define a player or a team, and it certainly doesn’t erase their future. Harris is too talented and too important to write off.

There are valid concerns surrounding Michael Harris II and the pressure is mounting. However, I am choosing to continue to believe in Money Mike.