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Dominic Smith played with a heavy heart when he made his debut with the Atlanta Braves – his sixth team in four years – on Saturday night.
Smith’s mother, Yvette LaFleuer, died of cancer earlier this month. When Smith stepped up to the plate against the Kansas City Royals in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, he said he could feel her presence with him.
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The Atlanta Braves celebrate at home plate after a walk-off grand slam by Dominic Smith, center, in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
The slugger hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game for the Braves, 6-2.
“It’s just amazing,” he told reporters. “Played against the Braves for a long time and being on the other side of a lot of those finishes kind of hurt, so to be on the right side of it this time was so much fun.”
Smith said his teammates had been very supportive during spring practice when his mother was sick. She was diagnosed with cancer in September and died almost at the start of the camp.
He left the team to be with her for more than a week when she had a “scare” and when he returned, he was fighting for a roster spot.
Atlanta Braves’ Dominic Smith reacts after hitting a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
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“This team is just so great,” Smith said. “I’m so blessed because of the love they showed me, the support every day. They ask about her, ask about her well-being, my well-being, and that’s all they really cared about. They didn’t care about baseball.”
Smith’s walk-off grand slam made him the first player in MLB history to achieve that moment in his debut with a new team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Smith has been trying to find a permanent home after spending his first six years with the New York Mets. He played for the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants since leaving New York.
Atlanta Braves’ Dominic Smith (8) hits a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
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Last year, Smith had five home runs and 33 RBI in 63 games with the Giants.
