Atlanta Braves first baseman Dominic Smith hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals on March 28, 2026, at Truist Park in Atlanta, securing a 6-2 victory in his debut with his sixth MLB team in four years.[1][2]
Smith, 30, joined the Braves after playing for the New York Mets from 2017 to 2022, followed by stints with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox in 2023, the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants in 2024 and 2025. In 63 games with the Giants last season, he recorded five home runs and 33 RBI.[1][3]
The performance came shortly after the death of Smith's mother, Yvette LaFleuer, from cancer earlier in March 2026. She had been diagnosed in September 2025 and experienced a health scare during spring training, prompting Smith to leave the team briefly.[1]
Bases loaded with no outs, Smith connected off Royals reliever for the game-ending blast. The feat marked the first walk-off grand slam in MLB history by a player in his debut with a new team, according to Elias Sports Bureau.[1][2]
"It’s just amazing," Smith said postgame. "Played against the Braves for a long time, and being on the other side a lot of these endings kind of hurt, so to be on the right side of it this time was so fun."[1]
Smith credited Braves teammates for their support during his mother's illness, noting their daily check-ins prioritized his well-being over baseball.[1]
Truist Park, home of the Braves since 2017, hosted the interleague matchup on the MLB regular season's opening weekend.[2][4]
Sources
- Fox News Digital; "Dominic Smith was playing with a heavy heart when he made his Atlanta Braves debut"; March 29, 2026; https://www.foxnews.com/sports/dominic-smith-walk-off-grand-slam-braves
- Associated Press; "Atlanta Braves' Dominic Smith reacts after hitting a walk-off grand slam"; March 28, 2026; https://apnews.com/article/mlb-braves-royals-smith-grand-slam-03-28-2026
- Baseball-Reference.com; "Dominic Smith career statistics"; accessed October 2024; https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithdo02.shtml
- Atlanta Braves official website; "Truist Park information"; accessed October 2024; https://www.mlb.com/braves/ballpark
