'Unbelievable' Harris HR a fine starting point 

PITTSBURGH -- Michael Harris II strengthened an impressive Rookie of the Year resume and Jake Odorrizi showed why he was acquired. Their contributions helped the Braves move closer to the top of the National League East standings with a 2-1 win over the Pirates on Monday night at PNC Park.

With their 12th win in their past 14 games, the Braves moved within three games of the first-place Mets. This series-opening win against the Pirates followed a homestand during which Atlanta went 5-2 against the Mets and Astros. According to The Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the first time in franchise history the team won consecutive series from teams that were at least 30 games over .500 at the time.

“For a solid week, it was like playoff baseball right down to the bottom of the ninth every night,” manager Brian Snitker said. “It was good to see the guys come out and win a tough game tonight.”

Here are three takeaways from Monday night’s win:

Young power
Harris’ decisive two-run homer was a Statcast-projected 391-foot opposite-field shot off Roansy Contreras in the fifth inning. The only longer opposite-field homer hit by a left-handed hitter in Pittsburgh this year was a 441-foot shot by the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber on July 31.

But it should be noted just three left-handed hitters have belted an opposite-field homer at PNC Park this year.

Harris is the youngest player (21 years and 168 days) currently in the Majors and his 6-foot, 195-pound frame isn’t overly imposing. But the exciting center fielder has shown great power through the first three months of his career.

“It’s unbelievable,” Snitker said. “For a young guy like that, you wonder, what happens when he gets stronger and matures. That power the other way is just crazy.”

Harris has 13 homers and 30 extra-base hits through the first 77 games and 290 plate appearances of his career. The only MLB player 21 or younger to top those totals this year is the Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez (19 homers and 41 extra-base hits in 446 plate appearances).

The only Braves 21 or younger to hit that many homers through the first 77 games of their careers were Ronald Acuña Jr. (21 in 2018), Bob Horner (19 in 1978), Jeff Francoeur (14 in 2005) and Eddie Mathews (14 in 1952). Hank Aaron and Jason Heyward both hit just 11 homers through this same span of their respective careers.

Harris totaled just 14 homers through the 197 Minor League games he played before being called up from Double-A to the Majors on May 28. It should be noted that 53 of those games were played in 2019, when he was fresh out of high school. He hit seven homers in 101 games for High-A Rome last year and five in the 43 games for Double-A Mississippi this year.

“To have 13 [homers] now really surprises me,” Harris said. “I’m just going out there and trying to make hard contact. I guess it’s working out for me.”

Know your role
As Odorizzi limited the Pirates to one run and four hits over six innings, he benefited from some mechanical changes and he provided the Braves exactly what they wanted when they acquired him from the Astros at the Trade Deadline on Aug. 2.

“I just felt way more in control and balanced,” Odorizzi said. “I was effective in the zone. It was noticeably different just with the life on my pitches. Locations were much better, too.”

Odorizzi’s ability to continue to eat innings should benefit Ian Anderson as he focuses on improving his changeup and curveball while with Triple-A Gwinnett. Once Anderson is ready to return to the Majors, the Braves would have six starters and the option to provide extra rest to Kyle Wright, Spencer Strider or any other rotation member down the stretch.

Night Shift II?
Most of the names and faces are different, so maybe the Braves’ primary relievers won’t be called The Night Shift again during this year’s postseason. But as A.J. Minter, Raisel Iglesias and Kenley Jansen combined to surrender one hit and hold the Pirates scoreless over the final three innings, they provided a glimpse of how they’ll try to end games in October.

Collin McHugh’s versatility and ability to handle high-leverage roles adds to the current strength of the ‘pen. Tyler Matzek has recently shown he can be effective without the velocity he had last year and Kirby Yates has seemed to become more comfortable as he distances himself from Tommy John surgery. If both continue to make strides, the Braves could once again enter October with a dominant bullpen.