NEW YORK -- Adding to a rival’s recent woes with a big comeback win is satisfying. But doing so while also gaining further confidence that Michael Harris II has righted himself was the greatest reward the Braves gained from an 11-6 win over the Mets on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
Harris tallied two hits, including a grand slam, during a nine-run fourth inning that erased the damage of Carlos Carrasco’s ugly start and propelled the Braves to their fifth win in their past seven games. This successful run has been fueled by Harris’ resurgence and the post-Trade Deadline awakening of Marcell Ozuna.
“I felt good right before the break in St. Louis,” Harris said. ”Then, I knew during the break I just had to continue to work on what I was feeling and trying to better what I was trying to do. So, coming out of the break, I made sure I was still working on what I wanted to work on. Now, it's giving me results in the game.”
Ozuna’s two-run homer in the sixth inning was his 20th of the season and his fourth in his past four games. A late surge will enhance wonder about why he wasn’t traded and would also bolster the veteran designated hitter’s free-agent market. Unless he returns to Atlanta next year, a late-season surge won’t give the Braves any long-term benefits.
But Harris’ turnaround has given the Braves reason to feel better about what he could offer next year and over the remainder of his contract, which includes options for the 2031 and '32 seasons.
The 24-year-old center fielder ranked last among all qualified MLB players with the .551 OPS he produced before the All-Star break, but ranks sixth with the 1.078 OPS he’s constructed since the break.
"He's made some adjustments,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I mean, I think he learned that this is a game of adjustments. And he did, with credit to him.”
Harris’ significant adjustment can be seen with the positioning of his hands, which are back up near his shoulder, like they were throughout most of the early portion of his career. His first week at the MLB level, former Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer suggested lowering the hands in his batting stance.
That adjustment worked at the time and helped Harris win the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year Award. He tasted success during portions of the past two seasons, but he felt lost most of this year and began moving his hands back toward his shoulder while the Braves were in West Sacramento playing the Athletics the week before the All-Star break.
“In the middle of the season, it's tough to make that kind of adjustment,” Harris said. “But, you can't be scared to do it, especially when you're not getting the results you want and it's not really helping the team. So I took the risk, and it's paying off.”
Harris’ latest contributions erased what had the makings to be an ugly night. Carrasco, one of the castoffs being used to fill the gaps in Atlanta’s injury-depleted rotation, allowed six runs over two innings. The Braves bullpen kept the Mets scoreless the rest of the way and preserved the fourth-inning eruption, which included five walks and four hits.
Jurickson Profar tallied a three-run double against Mets starter David Peterson and Harris, who singled earlier in the frame, capped the big inning with a grand slam that just cleared the center-field wall. It was the outfielder's 13th homer of the season and seventh in 25 games since the break.
Harris has hit .366 with a .385 on-base percentage and .693 slugging percentage since the break. He has shown Gold Glove-caliber skills in the outfield and his ability to get on base more consistently will increase the value of his legs. This is his fourth MLB season, but because of the 2020 COVID shutdown, this is just the fifth full professional season he’s had since graduating from suburban Atlanta’s Stockbridge High School in 2019.
His willingness and ability to make an in-season mechanical change seems to further prove he is wise beyond his years.
"I’m just glad I was able to get it at some point,” Harris said. “Going back to a natural spot was the easiest thing for me to do because all I’ve known my whole life was to have my hands up. I guess it got me a more direct swing. I see pitches better.”