10 MLB hitters getting hot in the second half for playoff contenders

Sometimes it takes a while to get going. Thankfully, baseball is a marathon – not a sprint. 

Not all players get off to hot starts. While we’d love if that were the case, it often takes players a bit to hit their stride. With the season winding down, contenders love when players get hot at the plate, and a strong finish to the year can make up for some otherwise lackluster play in the earlier months. 

MLB hitters heating up at the perfect time for contenders

With SeatGeek serving as the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB, we’re following each playoff race very closely and are also monitoring the play of all players across the league. Here, we break down 10 hitters who are taking their games to the next level in the second half for teams that are firmly in the playoff hunt. 

American League

Guardians OF Steven Kwan

I pegged Kwan as someone who could bounce back after a rough first half, and it’s safe to say the two-time All-Star has done just that. 

Kwan’s profile is much different than other star hitters in today’s game as he’s focused on making a ton of contact, spraying the ball and, quite frankly, not hitting the baseball very hard. That led to an ugly .225/.332/.282 (.614 OPS) line in the first half, though he was getting on base at a good clip while avoiding whiffs and strikeouts. But the veteran outfielder has turned it on in the second half to the tune of a .359/.458/.422 (.880 OPS) slash line. 

Now, the Guardians are still not a great offensive team (26th in runs), but they’re 19th in scoring since the All-Star Break, and Kwan’s emergence is a big reason why. He’s been one of baseball’s best hitters while scoring a ton of runs for a Cleveland lineup that needed a spark. 

Blue Jays C Alejandro Kirk

Kirk, like many Blue Jays players this year, battled injuries early in 2026, and as such, the veteran backstop got off to a poor start with an OPS under .600 in the first half. He’s been great of late, though, OPSing .958 in the second half and over 1.000 in August. 

The Blue Jays tentatively waved the white flag at the trade deadline by dealing Kevin Gausman to the Cubs, but they held onto basically everyone else. The AL Wild Card race is wide open, and while Toronto has struggled lately, there’s reason to be optimistic about the team’s chances. Kirk is a big reason for that as he’s a proven hitter who is in the midst of a hot streak right now. He’s been one of the best in the game at getting on base over the last month-plus, and if others, namely Vladimir Guerrero Jr., follow his lead, the Jays could be a team to keep a closer eye on down the stretch. 

Red Sox OF Wilyer Abreu

Boston has been so hot you could really pick any number of the team’s hitters for this list, but we’ll focus on Abreu, who has been en fuego of late. The young outfielder is OPSing over .900 in the second half, and his 11 home runs are the most of any American League player since the All-Star Break. 

The Red Sox are a team no one wants to face right now or in a future playoff series, and Abreu’s emergence is a big reason why the Sox have gone on such a heater and lead baseball in runs scored in the second half. Heck, his slugging percentage alone is over .100 points higher in the second half than in the first.

Astros SS Jeremy Pena

Yordan Alvarez is getting all the love as it appears the veteran slugger is going to cruise to an AL MVP Award, but don’t sleep on Pena’s contributions. The veteran shortstop has been solid all year long, but his game has taken a big step forward in the second half, which is really what the Astros needed as they aim to secure an AL West title. 

Pena’s batting average and on-base percentage are both actually a hair down in the second half from the first, but his power numbers are way up as he’s slugging well over .500 after a .426 SLG in the first half, and he has eight homers in just 30 games after hitting six in 51 before the All-Star Break. Christian Walker has also played well of late, but Pena has been able to be a major threat atop the order before Alvarez and Walker head to the dish, which is good news for Houston and bad news for the rest of the league.

Twins 2B/OF Luke Keaschall

Keaschall is hardly a household name, but he’s starting to be one in Minnesota with his recent play. The Twins are one of many teams fighting for that elusive third and final AL Wild Card spot, and with their starting pitching leaving a lot to be desired, they’ll have to slug their way there. 

Byron Buxton is going to lead the charge, but he needs help. Enter Keaschall, who is starting to break out in the second half of his second MLB season. After posting a .258/.347/.350 (.696 OPS) line in the first half, Keaschall is slashing .319/.410/.487 (.897 OPS) in the second half with as many home runs (four) as he had in the entire first half. 

If you’re on the fringes of contention, you need a surprise player or two to step up, and right now, Keaschall is that guy for the Twins. 

National League

Cubs 3B Alex Bregman

The Cubs shelled out a lot of money to add Bregman, one of the best bats on the market, last offseason, and the early results weren’t very good. The veteran infielder put together a .241/.336/.360 (.696 OPS) slash line with just nine home runs. Thankfully for the Cubs, enough other players did well early on, and Bregman’s struggles didn’t really impact the team too much.

But since the second half began, Bregman has found his groove. He’s swatted 10 home runs thus far with 28 RBIs after driving in 41 in the first half. He’s hitting .296 and is OPSing .939. A lot of focus is on MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong as well as the team’s new-look rotation, but Bregman was brought in to be a steady run producer with postseason experience, and he’s doing just that over the last few weeks. 

Padres OF Fernando Tatis Jr. and 1B Ty France

We’ll pair these two Padres teammates together here as both have been instrumental in the team’s offensive turnaround. For much of the year, San Diego was near or at the bottom in runs scored. The Padres have scored the third-most runs in baseball since the All-Star Break, and the play of Tatis and France are big reasons why.

Tatis could not slug for much of the early stages of the year, but he has 12 home runs in the second half, tied for the most in baseball over that stretch. He’s looking like the former MVP finalist we saw a few years ago. As for France, the former All-Star in Seattle returned to the team that drafted him and has had a great 2026. He OPSed over .800 in the first half in more of a fill-in role, but he’s now a clear everyday guy and is OPSing over .900 in the second half. His 18 home runs are already just two shy of his career high. 

Without these two, San Diego’s lineup would be in shambles. We’re still waiting for Manny Machado to really catch fire, but for now, Tatis and France are showing they can carry the load. 

Diamondbacks C Gabriel Moreno

The Diamondbacks are getting the usual from star outfielder Corbin Carroll, and Nolan Arenado has quietly put together a very nice season in Arizona while playing especially well of late. But one of baseball’s best hitters in the second half is the Diamondbacks’ man behind the dish in Moreno. 

The former Gold Glover hit over .300 in the first half with an OPS over .800, but he’s hitting .306 in the second half with four home runs (six in the first half) and an .897 OPS. Carroll, Arenado, a potential return of Ketel Marte and/or Corbin Burnes may overshadow what Moreno is doing, but he’s quietly been one of baseball’s best offensive catchers this year for a team that’s in a very tight NL Wild Card race.

Phillies 3B Alec Bohm

The Phillies reestablished themselves as a playoff contender quite a while ago after a tough start to the season, but one thing was clear – they needed more help offensively. Too many notable players have scuffled this year, leading the team to really lean on the duo of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper before trading for Luis Arraez at the deadline. But the Phils have been getting more from some notable names, such as Trea Turner and Bohm.

Bohm in particular stands out as a second-half hero as he’s hitting .326 (up from .215 in the first half) and OPSing .866 (up from .632). Bohm has also found his run production stride, driving in 29 runs in 34 games. The Phillies have the makings of a World Series team that can truly challenge the Dodgers in the National League, but they’ve needed more bats to step up. As such, it’s great to see Bohm hitting his stride, especially in a contract year.