Dodgers: Biggest Storylines to Look at in the Second-Half

Can Corey Seager go Supernova?

He isn’t showing signs of a sophomore slump, but you get the sense that he has even more to offer. That isn’t to say he has been disappointing because he’s still hit .298/.395/.502 with 13 home runs and 22 doubles, elite numbers, and finished the first half on fire.

His stats should have him starting in the All-Star Game, but that’s an argument for another time. Last year he hit .308 with 26 home runs, 40 doubles, and finished third in MVP voting. This year his average and power are a bit down, but he is still on track for 23 home runs and 39 doubles.

He is striking out more than last season but is also walking a lot more (an excellent 13.5 BB%). The reason he strikes out at such a high rate is not that he’s a free swinger, but an aggressive strike swinger, especially on first-pitch strikes.

However, he is an all-around better hitter this season than last. He is making much better contact (if that’s possible), has become more of a spray hitter by using all parts of the field, hitting it a lot more in the air and fewer times on the ground, and finally hitting off left-handed pitchers (.319 average).

His 2016 season would be a career year for most players, but considering he’s only 23 with tremendous potential, he has much more room for growth, especially in the batting average department.

So, you’d expect him to continue to take steps forward instead of stay stagnant or go in reverse. Last year he hit .297 in the first-half but .321 post the All-Star Break. This season he hit .298 and you feel he’s on the brink of going on a white-hot tear. He’s been hot recently, but he can still take it to another level.

Seager has the potential to be one of the best pure hitters in baseball (one can argue he already is) and challenge for a batting title in the future, so a .308 average is just the start. So considering he feels his swing is better this season than last, is making much better contact in 2017, is hitting lefties, and the weather in LA is heating up (meaning ball will carry more), he has the chance to go off in the second-half.