Much has been written about Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris, who continues to suffer through the worst season of his career. There was a spark of hope on Saturday night that perhaps things could be turning in the right direction, as Harris gave Atlanta an early 1-0 lead with an impressive home run to dead center.
This was followed by a walk that was the first free pass the outfielder had earned dating all the way back to May 18. Over two months of the season have gone by since the last time Harris earned a walk. Consider how telling of a stat this is for just a moment.
Braves Outfielder Michael Harris Makes the Worst Type of Team History
A player who is in the lineup every night would seemingly earn a walk by pure accident over the course of two months of a season. However, the exact reason why the outfielder's offensive numbers have imploded has prevented this from happening. Harris has zero plate discipline or pitch recognition ability for the last three months of the season. It is a lethal combination that has made it impossible for Harris to offer any offensive value.
Despite Saturday night's homer, the outfielder ranks among the worst hitters in the league. Among qualified options, one can easily make the case that Harris is the worst of the bunch. Regardless, there is still reason to hope things will turn around after the end of what seems to be a cursed 2025 season. Everything about this year offensively is an outlier for the young outfielder.
Harris has established himself as one of the league's elite defenders, and prior to this season consistently offered above-average offense. There isn't a reason to think that this player is gone forever. Three years of sample size tell us that this one awful year is just that.
The outfielder simply needs an offseason or time in the minor leagues to make adjustments and rebuild confidence after a frustrating season. While failing to draw a walk for two months is the exclamation point on an alarming three months, Braves fans shouldn't give up on the outfielder's future just yet.
The rest of his career is simply far too consistent and impressive to write this off as anything other than one lost season. Better players have suffered through a rough season or two, lending hope that things will still turn in the right direction and the Braves continue to attempt patience.