The Atlanta Braves defeated the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night, earning an 8-6 victory. Atlanta improved to 17-8 overall on the season with the win, while Washington is now 11-14. The Braves' lineup had a big game to say the least, as Michael Harris II led the way.
Harris hit two more runs in the big win. The 25-year-old outfielder looks like he is going to have a bounce back year after his up and down 2025 season.
Harris is now hitting .296 to go along with an .880 OPS in 2026. He has six home runs and eight total extra-base hits as well.
Harris was unable to find much consistency during the 2025 campaign, as he recorded a slash line of .249/.268/.409 across 160 games played. The fact that he was able to play in 160 games was big for the Braves, but his performance was fairly inconsistent.
Harris is clearly making an impact in 2026, though. Perhaps he will end up having a bounce back season as mentioned.
Harris was not the only Braves player to find offensive success in the eight-run outburst. Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin both hit home runs as well. Overall, the ball club had eight hits en route to their eight runs scored in the victory.
The Braves continue to lead the National League East. They have been one of baseball's best stories early in the year. After battling a plethora of injuries during spring training, the Braves have been able to play at a high level nonetheless. They are certainly upsetting expectations.
At the moment, they look like one of the best teams in all of MLB. It is early in the season and anything can happen, but it is difficult to complain about Atlanta's start so far.
The Braves and Nationals will play once again on Thursday afternoon at 1:05 PM EST. Atlanta now holds a 2-1 series lead heading into the matchup. The Braves would love to earn a series win on the road.
However, the Nationals are capable of getting the job done at home. They are hoping to upset the Braves and finish the series tied at 2-2. Accomplishing that feat will be easier said than done, however.
It should be another competitive contest between the National League East opponents. Meanwhile, Michael Harris II will look to continue to play at a high level.