The Atlanta Braves may have ended their short-lived winning streak following a 5-4 loss to Washington on Wednesday night at Truist Park, but center fielder Michael Harris’s hit streak lives on.
Harris, a Stockbridge High School alumnus and third-round pick of the Braves in 2019, began the 2025 season as cold as ice. However, during the previous two series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals, Harris has been red hot. The better he plays, offensively and defensively, the better the Braves are.
During the past nine games, Harris has hit safely in eight, including going 3-5 with an RBI in a 5-4 win over Cincinnati at Truist Park on May 8, 2-4 with an RBI at Pittsburgh, a 3-2 victory, and another 2-4 outing with an RBI in a 4-3 victory over Washington at Truist Park on May 12.
In many ways, as Harris goes, the Braves go.
During that game, Harris made an over-the-shoulder catch in centerfield that was reminiscent of the catches the late Hall of Famer Willie Mays and former Anaheim Angels center fielder Jim Edmonds made famous.
Good vibes aside, Harris has had his moments of failure during this strong run of play. In a close game against the Nationals on Tuesday, Harris struck out with two runners on. With Ozzie Albies on first base in the eighth and Atlanta ahead 5-2, Harris grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Harris was back to his old tricks on Wednesday night. In the third of a four-game series against Washington, Harris hit what looked like a home run, but ended up being a triple after an umpire’s review in the third inning. A double by Stuart Fairchild drove him in and tied the game at one later in the inning. Harris’s ability to get on base helped change the game.
In his final at-bat of the game, with the Braves behind 5-4 in the eighth inning, Harris grounded out, but managed to move Luke Williams over to third. Stuart Fairchild would ground out to end the inning.
What’s Next:
Following Thursday’s game against the Nationals (12:15 p.m. scheduled first pitch), the Braves will travel to Boston to play a three-game weekend series. Following the series against the Red Sox, the Braves will stay in the Northeast to play the Nationals again in a three-game series beginning on Tuesday, May 20.
