Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Aaron Judge and the 10 Hottest Hitters and Pitchers in MLB
Whether it's because you're trying to build momentum heading into the postseason, ensure that you reach the playoffs or just end an otherwise lost campaign on a positive note, it's good to have a strong second half in Major League Baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Seattle Mariners righty Bryan Woo are red-hot right now, which got us thinking about who baseball's best players have been since the All-Star break and in August specifically.
With that in mind, here's a look at the 10 players with momentum heading toward the final month of the regular season.
Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
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From a team perspective, 2024 has been a very disappointing season for the Cincinnati Reds.
Before the season began, they were a trendy pick to win the NL Central, but they now find themselves muddled together with the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, two other frustrating clubs.
Still, president of baseball operations Nick Krall has to be ecstatic about the step forward righty Hunter Greene has taken in his third season.
The 2017 No. 2 overall pick has gone from a tremendously gifted thrower of the baseball to someone who has a real shot to finish in the top five in NL Cy Young Award voting if he can shake off the elbow soreness that landed him on the IL on Aug. 17.
After posting a 4.62 ERA and 4.31 FIP in 46 starts between 2022 and 2023, Greene has a 2.83 ERA and 3.40 FIP across 24 starts this season.
In five second-half starts since his first All-Star appearance, the 25-year-old has been downright dominant, with a 3-0 record, 36 strikeouts and a minuscule 1.09 ERA, the lowest mark among qualified starters during that period. He leads the NL with a 5.4 WAR.
Yes, 2024 has been disappointing for the Reds as a team, but it's clear they have two building blocks for the future in Greene and shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
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Bobby Witt Jr. had to settle for being Gunnar Henderson's backup on the AL All-Star team in July. Since then, he's not only cemented himself as the shortstop having the better season but also laid out a convincing argument he's having the most complete campaign of any player in the sport.
The 24-year-old is slashing .448/.504/.819 in the second half. Over that period, he leads baseball in batting average (.448), hits (52), runs scored (35) and WAR (3.4).
He's locked in a tremendous AL MVP race with New York Yankees' slugger Aaron Judge, and there's little doubt Witt has played at a superstar level this season.
It's also encouraging that Witt's monster campaign isn't being wasted on a losing team.
A year after the Royals won just 56 games, he is at the forefront of a club that is currently tied for the second wild-card spot in the AL.
Helping the Royals reach the postseason for the first time since 2015 certainly won't hurt Witt's MVP chances.
Blake Snell, San Francisco Giants
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Blake Snell had a late start and two injured-list stints during the first half of the season with the San Francisco Giants.
However, he's pitched so well since the All-Star break that he's a near-lock to opt out of the second season of the two-year, $62 million deal he signed following a disappointing stint in free agency last winter.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is 2-0 with a 1.34 ERA, 1.85 FIP and 0.77 WHIP in six starts since the Midsummer Classic. Over that period, his 1.5 WAR is the best mark among any starter in baseball.
Obviously, the 31-year-old's top highlight of the second half came when he tossed the first no-hitter–and complete game—of his career on Aug. 2 against the Reds.
Baltimore Orioles' righty Corbin Burnes will be the top starting pitcher on the free-agent market this upcoming offseason, but with Snell ineligible to receive the qualifying offer after getting one last year, he may well be the second-best arm available.
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
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Aaron Judge is in the middle of one of the greatest three-year power stretches in MLB history, and it might net him his second AL MVP during that period.
In August alone, the 32-year-old is hitting .442 with eight home runs, 16 walks and a video game-like 1.410 OPS. He won AL Player of the Month in May and June and has a real opportunity to do so again in August with a strong finish to the month.
Standing in his way for both AL Player of the Month and MVP is Witt.
However, with Judge on track to easily hit 50-plus home runs for the third time in his career and the second time in the last three campaigns, he's still got a strong shot for both honors.
Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners
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The Seattle Mariners are fading—both in the AL West and wild-card races—in large part because they lack enough offensive firepower to be a playoff team. That's unfortunate given that they have, arguably, the best starting rotation in baseball.
Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller are all excellent pitchers in their own rights, but when Bryan Woo has been on the mound this year, he's been Seattle's top starter.
Right elbow inflammation and a right hamstring strain have limited the 24-year-old to 15 starts this year, but he has a minuscule 2.12 ERA over those outings. Across four August starts, he has a 1.67 ERA and a laughably low 0.70 WHIP.
Considering he's still only young and under team control through the 2029 season, Woo isn't going anywhere this offseason. But his emergence could make it easier for president of baseball operations Jerry DiPoto to trade one of Seattle's established starters for a big bat in the winter.
Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks
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The defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks had a sluggish first half, going 49-48. But they've been, arguably, the best team in baseball in the second half, with a 22-8 record that not only has them looking like a certain playoff team but also one that could challenge both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres for the NL West title.
Outfielder Jake McCarthy is one player whose production has dramatically improved since the All-Star break.
First half: .278/.365/.387, 3 HR, 21 RBI, .752 OPS in 82 games
Second half: .365/.410/.594, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 1.003 OPS in 26 games
The 27-year-old has been particularly hot in August, hitting .349 with an NL-best 19 RBI and a .996 OPS.
McCarthy's emergence could be one reason why the Diamondbacks are even more dangerous in the postseason than they were a year ago, assuming they get there.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
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Back in April, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. highlighted B/R's list of the most overhyped stars in the sport. It was hardly a hot take at the time, given he had failed to come anywhere close to matching his 2021 campaign when he finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in AL MVP voting.
Rest assured, though, the 25-year-old will not appear on next year's iteration of the list, regardless of how much attention he's getting heading into his contract year.
After hitting just five home runs between late March, April and May, he has rediscovered his power stroke. Since the All-Star break, he has 12 home runs, 26 RBI and an MLB-best 1.369 OPS.
It's been a disappointing season for the Blue Jays, who appear to be at a crossroads given both Guerrero and Bo Bichette can become free agents after the 2025 season.
While Bichette's camp has suggested he may not mind a change of scenery, Guerrero has done enough in recent months to make it clear that the Blue Jays should try to extend the slugging first baseman and build around him.
Bailey Ober, Minnesota Twins
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The Minnesota Twins are currently tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second wild-card spot in the Junior Circuit, with both teams still within striking distance of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.
Bailey Ober has pitched like a man on a mission since the All-Star break, a major reason why the Twins feel pretty close to a lock for the playoffs. In six second-half starts, he is 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA and 1.1 WAR.
Pablo López's second-half resurgence probably means he's the Game 1 starter for manager Rocco Baldelli if the Twins do reach the postseason.
But Ober—who has a minuscule 0.99 WHIP on the season—has been Minnesota's best starter, both in the second half and the campaign as a whole.
Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants
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The Giants remain on the outskirts of NL wild-card contention, at least in part because of how Tyler Fitzgerald has played since the All-Star break.
Since baseball's second half began on July 19, the 26-year-old is hitting .333 with 12 home runs and 21 RBI. According to FanGraphs, the only players with a higher WAR over that period are Witt, Judge and Guerrero.
While Fitzgerald has seen the bulk of his time at shortstop, he's also taken down some innings in left field and center field, plus some brief looks at first and second base.
With his offensive prowess and defensive flexibility, he has made himself a crucial part of San Francisco's 2025 plans.
Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
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Some sportsbooks now have San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill as the odds-on favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year and that's not just because the fading Pittsburgh Pirates are likely to limit RHP Paul Skenes' innings down the stretch.
In August, Merrill has hit .310 with four home runs, four doubles, three triples and a 1.033 OPS for a Padres team that's not only atop the NL wild-card race but also in the mix for the NL West title.
Since the All-Star break, Merrill's 1.5 WAR is sixth among all players in the Senior Circuit. Whether he wins NL Rookie of the Year or not, it's clear the Padres have a building block in the 21-year-old.
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