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There are plenty of MLB superstars enjoying excellent seasons at the All-Star break. Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, and others are on pace for incredible results. The opposite is true of some stars as the first half wasn't great for everyone. Some stars underperformed and should have better outings in the future.
MLB stars due to bounce back in the second half
5) Marcus Semien
Marcus Semien made the All-Star game thanks to an injury, starting for the American League at second base. However, he has a measly .703 OPS, well below his career .766 average. Although his defense has remained stout, the offense is due to turn around eventually.
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4) Randy Arozarena
Last year, Randy Arozarena hit .254 with a .789 OPS and 3.5 WAR. This year, he's not going to come close to those numbers. He's barely hitting over .200 and has an OPS under .700. His WAR is just 0.4 reflecting the slump he's been in all season. Whether he's still playing for the Tampa Bay Rays or gets traded elsewhere, Arozarena has the talent to turn his season around.
3) Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole was injured for much of the first half and had an up-and-down return to the rotation. He seems to be getting better all the time, but his 5.40 ERA and 1.46 WHIP are far from the numbers expected from the reigning Cy Young winner. The New York Yankees ace should put the poor start to the season behind him soon.
2) Bo Bichette
Bo Bichette has been alarmingly bad for the Toronto Blue Jays. He hasn't shown signs of improvement, but his stats are so bad that there's nowhere to go but up. The former All-Star has a startling .596 OPS and -0.3 WAR and hasn't looked like himself all season. If he's still in Toronto after the deadline, he'll need to have a strong second half for the last place Blue Jays.
1) Julio Rodriguez
If any player on this list is likely to bounce back, it's Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez. He is one of baseball's brightest talents and won Rookie of the Year in 2022. His fall-off (.690 OPS and 10 home runs) has been a big surprise, but he's due to improve eventually, leading to a much stronger second half.
