It's no secret that Atlanta Braves centerfielder Michael Harris II has struggled mightily in 2025. His offensive decline has been hard to watch over the last couple of years. However, his defense has continued to be some of the best in baseball.
The problem is, his defense won't save him forever. There comes a time when he has to change his approach to find consistency and improve at the plate.
Last week, Braves insider Grant McAuley shared a side-by-side image of the change Harris made to his batting stance. It showed Harris with his elbow up more and the bat less out in front. He also opened up his front side a bit more.
It seems this change has started to pay off for Atlanta's centerfielder as he's slashing .308/.357/.538 over his last seven games (as of 07/25/2025). Harris has eight hits during that span with two homers, two walks, two RBI, four strikeouts, and a 150 wRC+.
Michael Harris II's batting stance changes are starting to pay off (finally)
His change has helped him become more confident at the plate, and that's huge for Harris. He has declined steadily over the last few years, and a lot of his issues stem from chasing too many pitches out of the zone.
Maybe this new stance has helped give him a confidence boost. It's undoubtedly difficult to get yourself out of a funk if you aren't seeing results and feel like nothing will change. He and Tim Hyers have clearly found a great starting point.
If he is unable to use this fix to find his way back to being a consistent hitter, the Braves may need to consider moving on. Although elite outfield defense is a luxury that any team would be happy to have. This is a tough place for the player and organization to be in, especially with Harris already being given a nice extension. He has five years left with an AAV of $9 million.
Harris is a player you want to root for. He's entertaining and loves playing in front of Braves fans. Not only that, he is a great fixture in the clubhouse. Hopefully, he can maintain this success for more than a couple of months every year and be the force he was just a couple of years ago.