If you are looking for the best Atlanta Braves story from the start of the 2026 season, the emergence of Dominic Smith has to be near the top of the list. Considered an afterthought when the Braves signed him, Smith was pressed into service when the human toilet that is Jurickson Profar got suspended again. To say that Smith has risen to the challenge undersells him a bit, but he apparently has had some Hall of Fame help along the way.
Smith's walk-off home run early in the season, just days after his mother passed away, was not a one-off thing. The guy has been absolutely raking to start the 2026 season. Now, it has helped a lot that the Braves and Walt Weiss have put Smith in the best position to succeed, but a bit of hitting advice from Chipper Jones has played a key role as well.
According to Smith himself, Jones was talking to Braves hitters in camp when the question of how to approach a pitcher who possessed a high-quality changeup. Jones' answer may seem counterintuitive at first, but it is an approach that is helping fuel Smith's renaissance with the Braves.
Ladies and gentlemen, Dominic Smith!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/eMjW6DMqyD
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 15, 2026
Dominic Smith pointed to Chipper Jones' advice for his success, and hopefully, the rest of the Braves lineup listens as well
Now, Smith doesn't do what he has been doing without being a good hitter who knows how to execute a game plan. Smith showed signs last season with the Giants that his bat was a worthy gamble, and the Braves deserve credit for identifying him as a good fit for their needs. One has to give credit where credit is due.
However, Smith's recollection of Jones' advice did line up well with the situation he faced with Pete Fairbanks on the mound on Tuesday. What Chipper would do if he were up against a pitcher that knows how to throw a changeup (or some other offspeed offering), he went up to the plate with every intention of hacking at the first pitch. If it was a fastball, then Jones would probably make hard contact and if it was a changeup, he would whiff. In the event that he did whiff, Jones would be hunting for a changeup the rest of the at-bat.
Well, Smith swung and missed at two straight cutters in that fateful eighth inning, fouled off a few other pitches as he waited for his opportunity, and then crushed a cutter that caught too much of the plate for a bases-clearing double. You have to love it when a plan comes together.
As fun as Smith's run has been, it probably isn't meant to last. He is still best used as a platoon option long-term, and the idea that he will maintain a 1.099 OPS the rest of the year is a special kind of hopeless optimism. However, there is no denying that Atlanta is getting more out of Smith than they probably thought, thanks, in small part, to some coaching from one of the best players to ever play for the Braves.
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