The Atlanta Braves are rewarding a hot bat and trying to shake a cold one ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals.
Manager Walt Weiss moved Michael Harris II up to sixth in the lineup while sliding Mike Yastrzemski down to ninth as the veteran left fielder looks to find his footing at the plate. It’s just the second time Harris has hit higher than seventh in the lineup this season.
Harris spent the early weeks of 2026 hitting last, a reflection of his inconsistency that has defined his career since winning the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year Award. Harris posted a .210/.234/.317 slash line in the first half of 2025, while rebounding in the second half, putting up a line of .299/.315/.530. Those numbers are why Atlanta has been hesitant to put the 25-year-old at the top half of the order.
Now in 2026, Harris has been successful at the plate with a .290 batting average and four home runs, with nine RBI for a .816 OPS. Weiss has seen enough to give Harris the bump in the order, giving him the opportunity to keep the Braves atop the NL East.
Harris also ranks in the 97th percentile in expected batting average and expected slugging, and in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate, according to Baseball Savant.
Yastrzemski’s early-season skid created the opening. The 35-year-old signed a two-year, $23 million deal with Atlanta this offseason after Jurickson Profar’s suspension left the outfield short, elevating him into a starting role he wasn’t originally expected to fill. The adjustment hasn’t been easy.
Yastrzemski has a .215 batting average, with three doubles, a triple, and five RBI in 20 games so far this season. 14 hits in 74 plate appearances explain why Weiss moved Yastrzemski down to the ninth spot in the lineup.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (18)© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Monday’s matchup against right-hander Jake Irvin and a Nationals offense scoring 5.50 runs per game makes the game’s lineup construction worthwhile. The Braves are producing at a similar clip at 5.55 runs per game, and Weiss slotting his hottest bat into a run-producing spot signals Harris has earned more than a one-time spot in the batting order.
The Braves will look to continue their winning streak in the series opener in Washington. Giving Harris an opportunity to put up runs on the board is exactly what the team will need to do just exactly that.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.