Dominic Smith Signed Six Days Before Opening Day and the Braves Can't Stop Winning Because of It

Here's the thing about taking a flyer on a late signing: sometimes it changes everything. Dominic Smith inked with the Atlanta Braves just six days before the season started, and he has already delivered in ways that matter. On Tuesday night against Miami, Smith ripped a bases-clearing double with two outs in the eighth inning to seal a 6-5 win, and he's doing this consistently enough that you have to start asking what the Braves actually found.

From Walk-Off Grand Slam to Clutch Double

Smith came into Tuesday's game carrying serious momentum. In his Atlanta debut on March 28, he hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning to beat Kansas City. That's not a fluke. That's a guy who shows up when the game is on the line. Against the Marlins, he was 3-for-4 with four RBIs, lifting his batting average to .395 with 15 RBIs on the season. The numbers don't lie.

"It's been a whirlwind ever since I signed with the Braves," Smith said. "I signed a little late, but to get the opportunity to join this great group was a dream come true. This team has welcomed me with open arms from day one, and this has been a ride."

Smith's approach is simple and effective: confidence pitch-to-pitch, no overthinking. "The biggest thing is just having the confidence pitch-to-pitch," he explained. "It only takes one pitch to get the job done. The biggest thing is just going up there and not trying to do too much." The Braves are now even in their three-game series with Miami heading into the finale on Wednesday.

Wednesday's Pitching Matchup Sets Up a Showdown

Atlanta's Bryce Elder (1-1, 1.02 ERA) takes the mound against Miami's Chris Paddack (0-2, 6.14). Elder has been lights out, never allowing more than two runs in any appearance through four starts. In his last outing Friday against Cleveland, he pitched 4 2/3 innings with two runs allowed, though the Braves still won 11-5. Against the Marlins specifically, Elder is 2-4 lifetime with a 3.88 ERA across 10 starts.

Paddack, a free agent signing for Miami in February, bounced back from early struggles with a quality start Friday against Detroit. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in six innings of work in a 2-0 loss. Against the Braves career-wise, Paddack is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in four appearances.

Atlanta's Raisel Iglesias, who earned the save Tuesday, just reached 100 saves as a Brave. He is 100-for-114 in save situations and joins an exclusive club: Craig Kimbrel, John Smoltz, Gene Garber, and Mark Wohlers as the only Braves to hit that mark.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.