The first half of the 2022 MLB season is in the books. Some teams (like the Yankees) are well on their way to the playoffs and a bid to win the World Series and a few players are having massive breakout seasons.
Other teams and players, though, have underwhelmed so far this year. Some of those struggles will continue into the second half of the 2022 MLB season, but there are a few players primed to rebound. Below are three players who will break (back) out after the all-star break this year and how you can capitalize on their impending success.
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2022 MLB Rebound Candidates:
Max Muncy, Dodgers
It’s been a tough first half for Max Muncy. The Dodgers slugger was an MVP candidate last season, maybe the favorite until he suffered an elbow injury with a few weeks left in the season. This year, though, he’s hitting .161 with a .622 OPS and has just eight homers in 70 games.
There’s reason to believe he’ll return to form in the second half and get back to tormenting the NL West, though. Muncy is still hitting the ball hard, barrelling pitches up at one of the best rates in baseball, but those balls just aren’t falling for hits. While his hard-hit rate is sitting at about his career average and his ground-ball rate is actually below his average, Muncy’s batting average on balls in play (BABIP) sits at .185. That mark is well below his career norm and almost 12 percentage points below the league average.
He’s admitted to pushing back from his 2021 elbow injury too fast, and it likely zapped some of his offense early this year. Now several months removed from the ailment and looking much healthier, it’s safe to bet on a Muncy rebound.
Jose Berrios, Blue Jays
If you look at the numbers, they’re not going to give you much hope for a Berrios turnaround. He has a 5.38 ERA, a 4.81 FIP and leads the American League in runs and homers allowed. The peripheral numbers aren’t pretty either.
But we still have faith in Berrios for a few reasons. The first is his track record, posting an ERA of 4.00 or better in each of his last five seasons. His career peripherals reflect that consistency, too, and he’s been basically the same workhorse starter his entire career.
| Year | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3.89 | 1.229 |
| 2018 | 3.84 | 1.144 |
| 2019 | 3.68 | 1.223 |
| 2020 | 4.00 | 1.317 |
| 2021 | 3.52 | 1.063 |
| 2022 | 5.38 | 1.364 |
As well, there are signs of his return to form. In his three July starts, Berrios has allowed just six total runs in 17 innings. In his latest outing, he tied his season high with 13 strikeouts and walked none against a solid Phillies lineup. He seems back to the pitcher he’s always been, and could be worth a huge Cy Young long-shot bet. It’ll be hard for him to finish with a Cy-caliber season, but if he strikes out 13 per start like he did in his latest outing, he’s got a shot.
With +25000 odds to win the AL Cy this year, it might be worth sprinkling a bet on Berrios over at Sportsbook:
Juan Soto, Nationals
It’s pretty incredible that Juan Soto leads the majors in walks, has an .870 OPS and is on pace for well over 30 homers, but it’s been a “down” first half. Soto is just so good that anything but an MVP campaign is a disappointment.
He’s been solid so far this season, but we expect him to go on that MVP run in the second half. Soto has made a career of amazing second halves, posting a 1.013 OPS in the back half of seasons (compared to .896 in first halves) during his career. As well, he’s already starting to get hot. Soto is slashing .414/.564/.793 with twice as many walks as strikeouts in the last two weeks. If the Nationals star stays hot after the all-star break, he’ll shoot up MVP odds. You can get him at Sportsbook at +5000 right now, and that’s probably the best value you’re going to get.
Where To Bet On MLB Award Odds
If you’re looking to bet on some of these bounce-back candidates or any other players to win individual awards, head over to one of our top baseball betting sites.
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