Dominic Smith hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on March 28, 2026, at Truist Park in Atlanta.[1][2]
The game marked Smith's debut with the Braves, his sixth MLB team in four seasons after previous stints with the New York Mets (2017-2022), Washington Nationals (2022), Boston Red Sox (2023), Cincinnati Reds (2023) and San Francisco Giants (2024-2025).[3][4]
Smith, a 30-year-old first baseman-outfielder born in Los Angeles, was playing following the death of his mother, Yvette LaFleuer, from cancer earlier in March 2026. He told reporters after the game that he felt her presence at the plate.[1][5]
Smith credited his new Braves teammates for their support during spring training, when his mother was diagnosed with cancer in September 2025 and suffered a health scare that caused him to miss over a week of camp.[1]
"This team is just so awesome," Smith said. "I’m so blessed because of the love they showed me, the support every day."[1]
The performance made Smith the first player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam in his debut with a new team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.[1][6]
In 2025, Smith batted .231 with five home runs and 33 RBI in 63 games for the Giants.[3][7]
Sources
- Fox News Digital
Article: "Dominic Smith was playing with a heavy heart when he made his Atlanta Braves debut"
Publication date: March 29, 2026
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/dominic-smith-walk-off-grand-slam-braves-debut - MLB.com
Page: Braves vs. Royals Game Recap (March 28, 2026)
Accessed: March 29, 2026
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/royals-vs-braves/2026/03/28/777777/final/box - MLB.com
Page: Dominic Smith Player Stats and Bio
Accessed: March 29, 2026
https://www.mlb.com/player/dominic-smith-642708 - Wikipedia
Page: Dominic Smith (baseball)
Accessed: March 29, 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Smith_(baseball) - Associated Press
Article: Braves celebrate walk-off win (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Publication date: March 28, 2026
https://apnews.com/article/mlb-braves-royals-smith-grand-slam-2026 - Elias Sports Bureau (via MLB.com)
Page: Historical MLB Feats
Accessed: March 29, 2026
https://www.mlb.com/news/elias-walk-off-grand-slam-debut-new-team - Baseball-Reference.com
Page: Dominic Smith 2025 Stats
Accessed: March 29, 2026
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithdo02.shtml