Harris Does It All for Braves at the Plate, With His Glove

Michael Harris II keeps finding a way to keep getting the job done at the plate and in the field. He went 1-for-5 in the Atlanta Braves' comeback win over the White Sox. 

The lone hit on the night to extend his hitting streak to 12 games was a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning. 

Following the game, Snitker called Harris“the hottest player on the planet,” and the stats lend validity to the comment.  

During Harris’ hitting streak, he’s batting .470 with a .941 slugging percentage, six home runs and 17 RBIs. 

Since the All-Star Break, he’s hit 10 of his 16 home runs on the season. 

“It honestly feels like he’s going to hit a homer every time he comes to the plate,” catcher Drake Baldwin said after the game. “You just know something cool is going to happen, and we all knew it was in him. We’ve seen it before. We’ve seen him make a little adjustment and swing it with the best of them.” 

Now, with great moments come some peculiar ones as well. Harris tried to catch the White Sox by surprise with a bunt with the bases loaded. Snitker said that he didn’t call it and was just as surprised as everyone else. 

However, he felt Harris more than made up for it with his glove later on. 

While returning to being a looming threat at the plate, that recognizable defense in center has remained a constant. 

In the top of the ninth inning, Harris ran down the final two outs to seal the deal. The second one was a diving catch to end the game on the highest of notes. 

When everything clicks, he’s one of the top ballplayers in the game, not just on the Braves. The mindset he brings is what arguably makes it possible. 

Harris comes to the ballpark every day with the same attitude that comes with a smile on his face. Baldwin said that Harris’ spirit stuck around even during the toughest parts of his season. 

“It’s just kind of a testament to the person he is,” he said. “Even when he had a little bit of a rough start to the year, but he still came in the locker room, and he had that smile every single day.” 

It was bound to rub off on his teammates eventually. Since the All-Star Break, the Braves have scored the third most runs in MLB (168), trailing the Toronto Blue Jays (193) and Milwaukee Brewers (184). 

Better late than never, but they’re showing what this team is capable of, even if it’s just to build up expectations for next season. Even if a rocketing start to this level doesn’t, Harris, along with the rest of the lineup, can take these adjustments into 2026 and build off of them from there. 

That could spell more wins early in the year, which brings back hopes for a playoff run. 

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