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MLB All-Star break: 10 biggest storylines of 2017

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 03: Ryan Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals takes a swing during a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on July 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Nationals won 3-2. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 03: Ryan Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals takes a swing during a baseball game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on July 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Nationals won 3-2. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

8. Comeback kings

Ryan Zimmerman batted a measly .218/.272/.370 in 115 games last year, looking like a shell of the player who won two Silver Slugger awards by the age of 25. Zimmerman has flipped the script this year, and will be starting at first base for the NL in the All-Star Game after hitting .330/.373/.596 in the first half with 19 home runs and 63 RBI.

Over on the AL side of things, veteran lefty Jason Vargas has bounced back from two straight injury-plagued years and Tommy John surgery to enter the All-Star break with 12 wins and a 2.62 ERA, both of which lead the league. Vargas is not the most overwhelming starter in baseball, but he is getting weak contact and easy outs with his cutter.

Seeing older players recover their form is always one of the best parts about a given MLB season. Out in Arizona, Zack Greinke has brought his ERA down a run and a half after struggling in the first year of his massive contract. Gio Gonzalez is having his best season in ages for the Nationals. Michael Brantley is an All-Star for the Cleveland Indians after playing in only 11 games last year. Then there’s Eric Thames, who is coming back from an entirely different continent to hit moonshots.

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