The Major League Baseball postseason is already producing its share of standout performances, from Milwaukee Brewers star Jackson Chourio delivering in big moments to pitchers such as Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen and Atlanta Braves reliever Ray Kerr taking over important games.
But through early October, one player has separated himself from the pack: Braves center fielder Michael Harris II.
Michael Harris II has erased his previous postseason Braves struggles
Harris has completely reversed what had previously been a difficult postseason history. During his first two trips to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, Harris managed just one hit in 27 at-bats while striking out five times. Those numbers made his October struggles impossible to ignore.
The 2026 postseason has been an entirely different story.
Harris is 8-for-20 at the plate, with a .400 batting average, a double, a triple, and a home run. He has also driven in four runs and scored four times, giving Atlanta production throughout its lineup at a time when every run carries added weight.
His biggest moments haven’t come quietly, either.
Harris is delivering when the Braves need him most.
Harris blasted a three-run home run in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series, providing Atlanta with exactly the kind of impact swing it needed. Then, in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Harris came within one home run of hitting for the cycle.
More importantly for the Braves, his production hasn’t been limited to one explosive game. Harris has consistently put together quality at-bats and created problems for opposing pitchers, making him one of Atlanta’s most dangerous hitters during its postseason run.
Now comes another significant test.
Atlanta is scheduled to face Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Tuesday as the Braves try to grab a 2-1 series lead. Yamamoto, last season’s World Series MVP, presents a tough matchup for any hitter, but Harris has some encouraging history against him.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is Harris’s next challenge.
Harris is 2-for-6 with a walk in his career against Yamamoto. That’s a small sample, and postseason baseball has a way of making previous numbers matter only so much once the game begins. Still, Harris won’t enter the matchup without some familiarity or prior success.
That’s particularly notable considering how dramatically his October fortunes have changed.
A player who entered this postseason with a career 1-for-27 playoff line has suddenly become Atlanta’s most productive hitter. Through 20 at-bats this postseason, Harris has nearly matched the number of hits he failed to collect across his first 27 playoff at-bats.
Tuesday offers him another opportunity to keep that turnaround going. If Harris can keep producing against Yamamoto, the Braves could take a 2-1 series lead, and their center fielder could further cement what has already been a remarkable postseason transformation.
