Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves

Dominic Smith learned from Barry Bonds last year and he enjoyed listening to Chipper Jones during this year’s Spring Training. Maybe this is why he has spent the 2026 season’s first few weeks delivering like a Hall of Famer. “This has turned into a great story,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “It already is. But it just keeps getting better and it couldn’t happen to a better guy. I’m so happy for him.” Smith elated countless Braves fans when he laced a go-ahead three-run double in the eighth inning of a 6-5 comeback win over the Marlins on Tuesday night at Truist Park. This game-winner comes a little more than two weeks after he hit a walk-off grand slam in a 6-2 win over the Royals on March 28. “I give credit to my whole team for giving me the opportunity to come up in that situation," Smith said. Quite honestly, there was nobody else the Braves should have wanted to have up after they loaded the bases in the eighth. Smith might not have even remained in Atlanta’s organization had Jurickson Profar not been given a 162-game PED suspension in early March. But Smith has been one of the team’s top offensive threats thus far. Smith has hit .395 with a 1.099 OPS through his first 41 plate appearances of the season. He has a 1.467 OPS in 17 plate appearances with runners on base and he is 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position. And just in case you’re wondering, the walk-off homer and this latest bases-clearing double account for his only two at-bats with the bases loaded. Smith’s production as the designated hitter against right-handed starters has been more than could have been expected from Profar had he remained in that projected role. “I’ve watched him a ton and I’ll just say it’s nice to have him on this side,” Braves closer Raisel Iglesias said. “I think we expect to more or less see the same thing the rest of the season.”