John Smoltz may be long retired from Major League Baseball, but he hasn’t slowed down one bit—not on the golf course, not in the Atlanta Braves broadcast booth, and definitely not when it comes to his unfiltered takes on the game he knows inside and out.
The Hall of Famer caught up with CBS Sports recently. Whether it was his push for golf glory, the Braves’ rollercoaster season, or baseball’s controversial megadeals, Smoltz delivered his classic brand of insight: sharp, honest, and utterly compelling.
“Time’s Running Out” – Smoltz Eyes Golf Gold
Smoltz isn’t just kicking back in retirement. He’s fully locked in on trying to qualify for the U.S. Open and, more realistically, winning the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe this July—a celebrity golf showdown he’s finished runner-up in before. But this year, it’s win or bust.
“Every year, I put too much pressure on myself because I want to win so bad,” Smoltz admitted.
At 58 and with double hip replacement surgery now behind him, Smoltz knows the clock is ticking on competing at his peak. The challenge is steep, with rivals like Mardy Fish, Tony Romo, and Mark Mulder in the mix. But for Smoltz, there’s no settling for second place.
Braves: Battle-Tested, But Far From Flawless
Back on the baseball diamond, Smoltz weighed in on the Braves’ dramatic rebound from a brutal 0-7 start. Atlanta has clawed back to .500, and with Ronald Acuña Jr. returning, the timing couldn’t be better. But Smoltz warns against assuming their veteran presence automatically solves everything.
“You have a DNA about your club, but it shocks your system when you start out 0-7,” he said. “This game will expose your warts.”
The problem? Atlanta’s early-season flaws have been glaring, particularly in close games and strikeouts. And Smoltz, ever the realist, reminded us: Baseball is a marathon.
Every team knows its strengths and weaknesses when they leave camp. The trick is concealing the bad and maximizing the good. When the Braves’ offense clicks, it’s fearsome. When it sputters, the vulnerabilities show.
Megadeals, Juan Soto & Baseball’s “One Percenters”
Smoltz didn’t hold back when asked about Juan Soto’s mammoth 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. The Hall of Famer sees a pattern—copycat contracts handed out not necessarily because they work but because they’re expected.
“We haven’t seen many work out… It takes a special player and special personality.”
Smoltz cited Shohei Ohtani as a potential outlier but voiced skepticism that even generational players like Mike Trout have lived up to the financial hype due to injuries.
The issue, according to Smoltz, isn’t just talent—it’s the crushing expectations that come with the paycheck. And most players? They don’t get the grace to stumble once those dollars are in play.
The Hall of Fame Debate Around Pete Rose
Smoltz also chimed in on the renewed eligibility of Pete Rose following the MLB reinstatement of several previously banned players, most of whom are now deceased. Smoltz believes the Hall of Fame path has been quietly cleared.
“I personally think what he did on the field was untainted and was absolutely deserving a no-brainer.”
But don’t expect him to lump Rose in with the steroid era.
“There’s no parallel. I don’t agree with the argument that if some guys who used steroids got in, why not put everyone in. That’s not how I see it.”
Smoltz expressed his continued frustration with PED suspensions in today’s game, calling them an ongoing embarrassment. He doesn’t see the issue going away until the incentive fades and the penalties get tougher.
From golf greens to controversial greenbacks, John Smoltz isn’t just watching the game—he’s still living it, analyzing it, and calling it exactly how he sees it. Whether or not he hoists that celebrity golf trophy this summer, one thing’s certain: Smoltz’s competitive fire is alive and well.
