Fantasy Baseball 2015: Hitters Guaranteed to Explode After the All-Star Break
The post-All-Star break period is a key part of fantasy leagues based on multiple aspects. The weeklong rest for most players combined with the transition to the second half of the season can make or break players both in fantasy and in reality.
This list features some of the key stars of 2015 so far this season while mentioning a few surprise picks who could impress down the stretch.
Here are the 10 batters set to explode after the All-Star break.
Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros
1 of 10
Altuve entered the season as one of the biggest candidates to explode in 2015, but he has been inconsistent with his plate approach so far in the first half. However, his tendency to end seasons with hot streaks sets up for a big second half of the season.
Altuve is hitting .299 and has cooled down at the plate since he hit .341 in 2014. Regardless of his drop in batting average, he has showed great plate discipline in striking out in just 9.9 percent of his at-bats.
In 2014, he exploded in the second half of the season with a .349 batting average after the All-Star break. The sudden streak led him to win the batting title last season.
The American League West-leading Houston Astros will aim to keep their momentum going after the All-Star break. Altuve will play a major role in their run for a division title and will work his way back toward the top of the batting ranks.
Nori Aoki, OF, San Francisco Giants
2 of 10
Aoki has arguably been the biggest surprise this season with one of the best offensive stat lines in baseball. After helping lead the Kansas City Royals to an American League pennant last season, he has made the most of his time with the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants.
He ranks 11th among all MLB outfielders with a .383 on-base percentage. After a solid start to the season, he has flourished with a .358 batting average in his last 30 games.
Aoki is on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Since he was an All-Star starter hopeful before his injury, he is poised to make a big run in the second half of the season. The additional rest during the All-Star break will give him the opportunity to make a big run after the break.
Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
3 of 10
Posey is the best-hitting catcher in MLB with a .300 batting average, 14 home runs and 57 RBI. The scary thing is this superstar catcher has the potential to get even better after the All-Star break.
He has continued his reputation as one of the most patient hitters in baseball with a .104 walk percentage this season, his highest since 2013. He has also makes contact early and often in the pitch count in making contact with 88 percent of pitches he’s been thrown this season.
The key thing about Posey is when he gets hot, the team always seems to get it going especially late in seasons. He ranked third among everyday players last season with a .354 batting average after the All-Star break.
The Giants are performing well this season thanks to Posey’s production behind and at the plate, which sets him up for a big second half in 2015.
Denard Span, OF, Washington Nationals
4 of 10
After an impressive run in 2014, Span has bounced back from an injury-riddled beginning to 2015 and has produced at a high level for the Washington Nationals.
Through just 59 games this season, he has scored 37 runs and is hitting .304. He has also recorded a .304 on-base percentage this season, which is his highest since his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins in 2008.
Span is dealing with a back injury that may result in him landing on the short-term disabled list, which may be the best option with the All-Star break quickly approaching. Before suffering the injury, he was beginning to find his rhythm offensively with a .321 batting average over his past 15 games.
Span is a somewhat limited fantasy asset because of his injury history and lack of power. However, his consistent ability to hit for average and the added rest over the break will give him the best opportunity to explode for the Nationals.
Manny Machado, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
5 of 10
Machado was one of the most hyped prospects a few years ago and is finally starting to show signs of that potential.
After suffering a season-ending injury after the All-Star break last season, Machado has exploded offensively with a .301 batting average. However, his recent strand has been the most impressive. He is hitting .367 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI over his past 30 games.
What makes him dangerous is his ability to be a balanced hitter overall. He has a .421 ground-ball percentage to go along with a .395 fly-ball percentage.
If Machado can keep up his recent strides at the plate, he will be a dangerous hitter in the second half of the season. The Orioles are not too far out of the American League East race and will need Machado at his best and his healthiest.
Victor Martinez, DH, Detroit Tigers
6 of 10
Martinez had the best season of his career in 2014 for one of the most loaded offenses in MLB. He has dealt with a fair share of inflammation in his left knee this season, which has led to limited action for the former All-Star.
Martinez hit .335 last season with a career-high .408 on-base percentage. While dealing with injuries and limited playing time this season, he is hitting just .267 with a .333 on-base percentage so far in 2015.
He has been on a recent tear since returning from the disabled list in mid-June, with a .358 batting average over his past 15 games. Over the last week, he has accumulated a .406 batting average with 13 hits over that span.
Martinez is one of the best hitters in the game when healthy, and his recent hot streak proves just that. He is peaking at the perfect time and is poised to make a big run in the second half of the season.
Jose Abreu, 1B, Chicago White Sox
7 of 10
Abreu won American League Rookie of the Year last season after an explosive campaign with the Chicago White Sox. He hit .317 with 36 home runs and 107 RBI last season but has suffered a sophomore slump so far in 2015.
He has cooled down this season with just a .292 batting average and a .339 on-base percentage. However, he has rebounded in a big way with a .330 batting average over his past 30 games.
Abreu is a pure power hitter who can also hit for average, a talent not seen often in MLB. The discouraging aspect of his game is his tendency to be impatient at the plate, with a .196 strikeout percentage.
Abreu has the ability to explode fast and in a hurry, which could help a desperate White Sox offense in the second half of the season. His unlimited power potential and recent streak put him in a great spot to put up eye-opening stats after the All-Star break.
Josh Harrison, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates
8 of 10
Harrison had his best season as a big leaguer in 2014, which included an explosive second half for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He ranked second among all everyday Pirates players with a .332 batting average after the All-Star break in 2014. He also demonstrated impressive power hitting with a .528 slugging percentage, which ranked second among all Pirates players in 2014.
Harrison has dropped a bit this season with a .279 batting average so far in 2015. However, he has gotten back on track with a .301 batting average over his last 30 games.
His potential to get hot in the second half makes him a viable fantasy option. Based on the fact that he is available in a large portion of weekly leagues and has a low value in daily leagues, he is a must-get in preparation for the second half of 2015.
Michael Brantley, OF, Cleveland Indians
9 of 10
Brantley has proved to be a second-half player over his career, and this year is poised to be no different.
He rose to the scene last season with a .327 batting average and .506 slugging percentage. He also had a career-high 97 RBI and 94 runs scored in 2014.
This season, Brantley’s stats have dropped off a bit because of an inability to hit hard line drives. He has hit just 20.5 percent of his contact bats as line drives this season after hitting over 25 percent last season.
Brantley’s success last season was mostly attributed to his incredible performance after the All-Star break. He hit .335 during the second half of 2014, which helped the Indians nearly contend for a wild-card spot in the American League. If he can put up similar numbers to last season, he would be a viable option for most fantasy leagues.
Justin Turner, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
10 of 10
Aside from early National League Rookie of the Year candidate Joc Pederson, Turner has been arguably the biggest surprise for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.
He exploded last season with a .340 batting average for the Dodgers. He also showed great precision hitting with a .404 batting average on balls in play.
Turner has picked up where he left off with almost equally impressive numbers this season. He is hitting .314 with a career-high .556 slugging percentage in 2015.
The 30-year-old switch-hitter took advantage of last year’s All-Star break with a .388 batting average during the second half of 2014. If Turner can keep up his impressive performance so far in 2015, he is set to explode as the Dodgers stay in the National League West race.
Follow Curtis on Twitter: @CalhounCurtis
.jpg?w=480 "MLB Farm System Rankings")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.png?w=600 "Surprising Landing Spots for Top Potential 2026 NBA Free Agents")