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Ex-Red Sox First Baseman Having Career Resurgence With Braves originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves signed former Boston Red Sox first baseman Dominic Smith this offseason, and he has been great so far.
Smith has been serving as a designated hitter for the Braves on days when Drake Baldwin is not in that spot. His role has been limited, starting just 11 games. However, he is off to a phenomenal start. He is slashing .395/.415/.684 with three home runs and 15 RBIs. He hit a walk-off Grand Slam earlier in the season and had a go-ahead three-RBI double in the eighth inning on Tuesday.
With Sean Murphy on his way back, Smith could lose at-bats, as Murphy would likely be the designated hitter when Baldwin is catching. However, Smith has made it tough to keep him out of the lineup right now. He hit five home runs in 63 games last season. He is on pace to shatter that number and could even set a new career high in home runs.
Smith played 84 games for the Red Sox in 2024. He is currently having the best year since 2020, when he received some MVP votes for the New York Mets.
Even though his role is limited, he is having a career resurgence. He has proved he can be a valuable player for a contender, even if it is in a limited capacity. Teams need bench bats, and Smith could end up being one of the best bench bats in the league when Murphy returns.
On the flip side, if Murphy returns and his struggles continue, Smith and Murphy could end up being a platoon at designated hitter. Obviously, Baldwin would take that spot on days he is not catching, bumping Murphy to catcher.
Smith hit .247 with a .681 OPS in the last five seasons. He was primarily playing first base in those years, but his early run with the Braves as a designated hitter looks to be the start of a new chapter of his career. Perhaps moving off first base and focusing on hitting was the change he needed to thrive again.
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