By MIKE ROBERTS
It was a week full of both sad and good moments for the Atlanta Braves, who, at 28-13, went into the week of May 11 with the best record in the National League. Making a West Coast trip, the team dropped two of three against the Seattle Mariners, then won two of three against the Dodgers. The series loss to the Mariners was Atlanta’s first of the season after beginning 2026 with an impressive 10-0-1 series record. You can’t win them all, right? In case you didn’t follow baseball this past week, here are a few Braves-related events that you might’ve missed.
The Passing of Three Braves Legends
Sadly, three Braves legends passed away last week: Ted Turner, Bobby Cox, and John Sterling. Turner owned the Braves from 1976 to 2003 and founded TBS (Turner Broadcasting System), which broadcast Braves games into living rooms every night during baseball seasons.
Cox was the Braves’ manager for 25 seasons, guiding the team to 14 consecutive division titles from 1991 to 2004, including five National League pennants and the 1995 World Series title. The four-time manager of the year was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Meanwhile, Sterling, who’s best known for his broadcasting career with the New York Yankees, also served as a Braves announcer from 1982 to 1987. He famously called Rick Camp’s game-tying home run during the 19-inning Braves and New York Mets contest on July 4, 1985.
Matt Olson’s Milestone
One of the reasons behind the Braves’ success has been the play of slugger Matt Olson (.296 AVG., 1.031 OPS, 14 HR, 36 RBI, 1 SB).
Olson hit his 300th career home run during Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Mariners. His 428-foot solo shot made him the 166th player in history to reach the milestone.
Olson entered the week second in the National League with 14 home runs this season. The Atlanta native has smacked 159 homers during his career with the Braves after spending his first six years with the Athletics.
Making Deals
Speaking of the Athletics, Atlanta traded switch-hitting catcher Jonah Heim (.205 AVG., .644 OPS, 1 HR, 8 RBI) to that franchise on May 4 in exchange for cash. Heim was designated for assignment by the Braves to make room for fellow catcher Sean Murphy (.071 AVG., .143 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI) who recently returned from the injured list.
Michael Harris’ Perfect Night
Atlanta lost Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers 3-1 but one bright spot for the Braves was Michael Harris II’s huge performance. He went 4-for-4 at the plate, singling all four times. It was the eighth four-hit game of his career. It would’ve been nice, though, if he had led Atlanta to a victory.
Strider Redeems Himself
Atlanta pitcher Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.89 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) began the year on the injured list with a left oblique muscle strain. He made his season debut May 3 and struggled against the Colorado Rockies, walking five batters (tying a career-high), and allowing three earned runs.
However, he was much better during Saturday’s 7-2 victory over the Dodgers. The 2023 All-Star allowed just one hit, two walks, and recorded eight strikeouts in his six innings on the mound to pick up his first win of the season.
Looking Ahead
Next up, the Braves will return to Truist Park for a six-game homestand starting Tuesday: a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, and a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox. Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule, including TV information and probable pitchers:
Tuesday, 5/12: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV/TBS, Colin Rea (CHI) (4-1, 4.03 ERA, 4.37 WHIP) vs. Grant Holmes (ATL) (2-1, 4.34 ERA)
Wednesday, 5/13: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV, Shota Imanaga (CHI) (4-2, 2.28 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) vs. JR Ritchie (ATL) (1-0, 3.63 ERA)
Thursday, 5/14: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV, Ben Brown (CHI) (1-1, 1.82 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) vs. Chris Sale (ATL) (6-2, 2.20 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
Friday, 5/15: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV/NESN, TBD (BOS) vs. TBD (ATL)
Saturday, 5/16: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV/NESN, TBD (BOS) vs. TBD (ATL)
Sunday, 5/17: 1:35 PM, MLB.TV/NESN, TBD (BOS) vs. TBD (ATL)