Dominic Smith Signed Six Days Before Opening Day and Is Already the Braves' Clutch Guy

Dominic Smith showed up to spring training with the Atlanta Braves just over a week before the season kicked off, and he's already playing like he's been there for years. On Tuesday night against Miami, Smith went 3-for-4 with a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning that sealed a 6-5 win over the Marlins at Truist Park. That's two massive moments in less than two weeks.

"It's been a whirlwind ever since I signed with the Braves in spring training," Smith said after the game. "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."

The Stats Tell the Story

Smith is hitting .395 with 15 RBIs through early April. He's not just padding stats either. His first big moment came on March 28 in his Atlanta debut when he launched a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning to beat Kansas City. The guy finds big moments and delivers.

"The biggest thing is just having the confidence pitch-to-pitch," Smith 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."

Wednesday's Series Finale Sets Up a Pitcher's Duel

Atlanta will look to take the series against Miami on Wednesday night with Bryce Elder on the mound. Elder is 1-1 with a 1.02 ERA and hasn't allowed more than two runs in any appearance this season. He's making his fourth start and had a solid outing Friday against Cleveland, allowing two runs over 4 2/3 innings in a 11-5 Atlanta win.

The Marlins counter with Chris Paddack, who signed a one-year free-agent deal with Miami in February. Paddack posted his first quality start Friday against Detroit, throwing six innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in a 2-0 loss. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough praised the outing: "Chris was great. He really located the bottom of the zone. Just painting down there."

Atlanta's Raisel Iglesias picked up the save Tuesday, reaching 100 saves as a Brave since 2022. He's now 100-for-114 in save situations and joins Craig Kimbrel, John Smoltz, Gene Garber and Mark Wohlers as the only Braves to hit that milestone.

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