NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Dominic Smith was playing with a heavy heart when he made his debut with the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night, his sixth team in four years.
Smith’s mother, Yvette LaFleuer, died of cancer earlier this month. When Smith stepped up to the plate against the Kansas City Royals in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, he said he could feel their presence with him.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
The Atlanta Braves celebrate at home plate after a grand slam by Dominic Smith, center, in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
The slugger hit a grand slam to win the game for the Braves, 6-2.
“It’s just amazing,” he told reporters. “I played against the Braves for a long time, and being on the other side a lot of these endings hurt, so being on the right side this time was a lot of fun.”
Smith said his teammates were very supportive during spring training when his mother was sick. He was diagnosed with cancer in September and nearly died at the start of camp.
He left the team to be with her for over a week when she had a “scare” and when he returned, he was fighting for a spot on the roster.
Dominic Smith of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
MLB’S TOP PROSPECT SHARES A FUN MOMENT WITH THE VETERAN WHO STOLE HIS DAY AFTER HIS FOUR-HIT MLB DEBUT
“This team is just amazing,” Smith said. “I feel very blessed by the love they showed me, the support every day. They ask about her, they ask about her well-being, my well-being, and that’s the only thing they really care about. They didn’t care about baseball.”
Smith’s grand slam made him the first player in MLB history to achieve the moment in his debut with a new team, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Smith has been trying to find a permanent home after spending his first six years with the New York Mets. He played for the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants since leaving New York.
Dominic Smith (8) of the Atlanta Braves hits a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
Last year, Smith hit five home runs and 33 RBIs in 63 games with the Giants.
