One well-timed hot streak from a star player can be all a team needs to go on a big run.

While many key contributors struggled in the first half of 2026, several have picked it up big time since the All-Star break, lifting their clubs to late-season success.

Here are 10 players -- five hitters and five pitchers -- who have turned things around in the second half.

All stats are through Saturday's games unless otherwise specified.

Hitters

, Cubs
For as good as National League MVP Award favorite has been lately, it’s actually Bregman who entered Saturday leading all qualifying hitters with a 168 wRC+ in the second half. The third baseman has a .298/.376/.609 slash line since the All-Star break, with his 17 second-half homers tied for fourth most in MLB.

Batting just .241 with nine home runs and a .695 OPS prior to the break, Bregman hadn’t exactly been meeting expectations after signing a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs. Now, though, he is up to 5.1 FanGraphs WAR, his highest total since 2022 (5.4). He’s been a big reason the Cubs are currently on track to host an NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field, and he will be a key bat in the middle of Chicago’s lineup in the postseason.

, Guardians
With this week’s series win over the White Sox, the Guardians have surged into first place in the AL Central, in large part thanks to their leadoff hitter’s resurgence. In addition to his strong defense in left field -- Kwan has won four straight AL Gold Gloves in left to begin his career -- Kwan has been on fire at the plate.

After a disappointing first-half slash line of .225/.332/.282, including a .188 batting average in May, Kwan ranks second among qualifiers with a .347 average and is tied with  for first with a .435 on-base percentage in the second half. He has been setting the table admirably for a Cleveland club not getting as much as usual from third baseman José Ramírez (94 wRC+) and could help the Guardians secure not only the division title but a key first-round bye.

, Padres
Merrill took a step back in 2025 after finishing second to the Pirates’ Paul Skenes in 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Award voting, and the Padres center fielder appeared headed for further regression based on early returns in 2026. Merrill’s OPS was below .600 in late May as San Diego scuffled offensively, and he took a .219/.278/.350 slash line into the break.

Since then, Merrill has been a major reason why the Padres have a 38-21 (.644) record in the second half, tied with the Brewers for the best in the NL. He’s hitting .312 with 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .944 OPS in 59 games in the second half while playing standout defense in center. Merrill’s ability to recapture his rookie form has given the Padres a fighting chance to host a Wild Card Series, and he’ll be a key middle-of-the-order bat for the club.

, Blue Jays
Springer improved his OPS by nearly 300 points from 2024 to 2025, slashing .309/.399/.560 and finishing seventh in AL MVP balloting as Toronto fell just short of a World Series title. But the veteran’s numbers fell off again early in 2026, especially after Springer returned from a stint on the injured list for a left big toe fracture. He hit just .218 with a .677 OPS before the All-Star break, a period of rest that seemed to help considerably.

Springer recorded multiple hits in five of his first nine second-half games, finishing July with an .878 OPS, before batting .321 with an .858 OPS in August. While he has slowed a bit in September, battling multiple injuries, he has clearly found his footing at the plate. It might not be enough to drag a Blue Jays team dealing with a host of pitching injuries and a down year from to the postseason, but Toronto -- three games out of an AL Wild Card spot -- still has a chance.

, Padres
While Merrill’s turnaround has been integral to the Padres’ second-half surge, Tatis’ production out of the leadoff spot has perhaps been even more important. The three-time All-Star began the season by scorching the baseball into the ground, going 55 games before hitting his first home run of the year on May 30.

The second half brought on a true power surge for Tatis, who homered three times in his first four games after the All-Star break and is now up to 24 dingers on the season. Entering Saturday, his 167 wRC+ in the second half was second in MLB, behind only Bregman. Tatis has raised his season OPS to .819 and has given the Padres a dangerous option at leadoff down the stretch.

Pitchers

, Red Sox
Bello has turned the page on a dismal start to the season. The right-hander, coming off a 3.35 ERA as a starter in 2025, had a 9.00 ERA in his first six starts of 2026 and was moved to a bulk-relief role. Still, Bello took a 6.06 ERA into the All-Star break as the Red Sox finally began to heat up, winning nine straight games to end the first half and extending the streak to a franchise record-tying 15.

Bello has continued to impress for Boston, earning the start on Saturday and baffling the Rays over eight innings of one-run ball with 11 strikeouts. In the midst of a statistically unprecedented season, he’s found something that works, which has been crucial for a Red Sox team that has surged into postseason position and appears headed for another clash with the Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series.

, Brewers
Tommy John surgery in June 2024 cut short Gasser’s promising rookie season, but he returned to make two solid starts at the tail end of 2025. The left-hander couldn’t sustain that success early in 2026, taking a 5.24 ERA into the All-Star break after being tagged for seven runs in three innings in his final first-half start.

Since then, Gasser has a 3.00 ERA in 57 innings of work after holding the Orioles scoreless over seven excellent innings on Saturday in Baltimore. In his first four September outings, including two against the Cubs, he has allowed just four earned runs across 21 innings pitched. With Brandon Woodruff’s 2026 return questionable and Kyle Harrison struggling mightily, Gasser’s improvement has made him an important arm for a Milwaukee team fighting to secure the NL’s No. 1 seed.

, Braves
Mahle owned a 5.13 ERA through his first 18 starts of 2026 for the Giants, but the Braves saw something in the veteran right-hander. Atlanta acquired Mahle ahead of the Trade Deadline for righty reliever Anthony Molina in a move that has paid considerable dividends for the Braves’ battered rotation.

Mahle has allowed only seven earned runs in eight starts for Atlanta, completing six or more innings in all but one of those outings. His 1.28 ERA in that span is the third best among all pitchers (min. 40 innings), and he’s been an excellent complement to ace lefty atop the Braves rotation. With , , , and all on the injured list, Mahle has not only covered important innings but has been remarkably effective.

, Phillies
Nola had an ERA above 6 in an injury-marred 2025 season, and his 2026 looked to be more of the same. The usually dependable right-hander gave up 20 home runs in the first half alone, tied for the fifth most in MLB, and headed into the All-Star break with a 5.75 ERA.

Since then, Nola has returned to near-vintage form for the Phillies, who have also gotten strong second halves from lefty (currently on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation) and rookie righty . After Thursday’s excellent start against the Mets, Nola has a 2.78 ERA in the second half, striking out 67 in 71 1/3 innings despite giving up 14 more home runs in just 12 starts. If he can limit the long balls, he could be at least an adequate replacement for Luzardo if the southpaw cannot return for the start of the postseason.

, D-backs
Pfaadt hasn’t quite lived up to his billing as a former top prospect just yet, but he’s shown flashes, such as his success against the Dodgers and Phillies during the D-backs’ 2023 World Series run. The righty's recent results have been quite encouraging, too: Pfaadt has a 3.01 ERA in the second half, including a run of 27 2/3 scoreless innings across four starts from July 28-Aug. 14. 

Optioned to Triple-A Reno in June after a poor start to the year, Pfaadt now has the chance to help pitch the D-backs into the playoffs, which might be difficult in an NL Wild Card race featuring the Cubs, Phillies and Padres. Pfaadt is lined up to start during Arizona’s final series of the season, a pivotal three-game set in San Diego from Sept. 25-27, and his outing could determine the D-backs’ postseason fate.