The 24-year-old Stockbridge High School alum hit the homer in the bottom of the sixth inning off Pirates reliever Mike Burrows, a 407-foot blast that evened his totals with 20 stolen bases this season. Harris had previously racked up 20 stolen bases in three of his four major league seasons, and he needs just one more before the year ends to set a new career high.
Harris’ 20/20 milestone places him among an exclusive company in Braves history. He is just the 12th player in franchise history to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season. He joins active Braves stars Ronald Acuna Jr. (2019, 2023) and Ozzie Albies (2021) in this achievement.
Before Friday, Harris had come close twice, hitting 19 home runs with 20 steals in his 2022 rookie season and 18 home runs with 20 steals in 2023. Although his .247/.267/.407 slash line is his lowest so far. Harris has maintained a strong defense and successful base-stealing.
The Braves, however, stumbled offensively and lost 9-3 to the Pirates at Truist Park. Atlanta went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and the only other run outside of solo homers came via an RBI double from catcher Drake Baldwin in the seventh, scoring Acuna.
The Braves’ offense found brief momentum, with Acuna tallying three hits and a walk, and Matt Olson hitting his 29th home run of the season in the first inning, moving one shy of his fifth thirty-homer campaign.
Atlanta’s pitching staff faced difficulties throughout the game. Starter Joey Wentz, acquired off waivers from the Minnesota Twins in July, allowed four earned runs over four innings while allowing eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Wentz had previously pitched in relief for the Pirates earlier in the season before being claimed by Minnesota, and he finished the year with a 4.92 ERA over 13 starts with Atlanta.
The bullpen, consisting of Hunter Stratton, Joel Payamps, Dylan Dodd, and Pierce Johnson, largely stabilized the game, aside from a three-run homer by Pirates slugger Spencer Horwitz, who also added a solo shot earlier in the seventh.
This season has been a seesaw for Atlanta. After opening 0-7, the team fought through injuries and inconsistencies, including a midseason 10-game win streak, but ultimately finished 75-85, missing the postseason for the first time since 2017.
Friday’s loss was the beginning of their final weekend series against the Pirates, with rain causing a 49-minute delay in the seventh inning. The Braves’ pitching rotation saw heavy usage this year, including 18 players starting and a pending 19th with Charlie Morton tapped for Sunday.
