Atlanta Braves Jun 20, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; The helmet of Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) on the field against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

When baseball historians tell the story of the 2023 Atlanta Braves, they could start with a short video of Monday’s game to illustrate their point.

The Braves, putting together one of the most prolific offensive seasons in MLB history, once again showed why they’re every pitcher’s worst nightmare.

In the sixth inning, outfielder Michael Harris II, the Braves No. 9 hitter, crushed a pitch from Philadelphia Phillies reliever Andrew Bellatti 423 feet to center.

“Wow, he made the biggest part of the ballpark look really, really small,” Braves analyst John Smoltz said with admiration.

On the very next pitch, MVP contender Ronald Acuña Jr. smashed a 420-foot blast into the stands.

The very fact that Harris — who has 15 home runs and is hitting almost .300 — is batting ninth shows how loaded the Braves are this season. He’d be in the middle of the order for many teams. The Braves are averaging almost six runs a game and are on pace to finish with one of the highest season run totals in modern MLB history.

The baseball world quickly responded to the Braves’ latest exploits.


[Awful Announcing]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.