ATLANTA — On the back wall of the Atlanta Braves clubhouse sits the area known as “Rookie Row.” A trio of lockers belonging to second baseman Vaughn Grissom, outfielder Michael Harris II, and starting pitcher Spencer Strider are in order from left to right as you walk into the clubhouse. The consecutive cubbies not only represent the future of the franchise, but also some of the heart and soul of the current team that is chasing the New York Mets for the National League East lead.
Atlanta Braves rookies are having fun, helping franchise chase second consecutive World Series title
Flash back to Thursday night’s historic performance by Strider against the Colorado Rockies when he fanned an Atlanta Braves franchise-record 16 batters as part of a 3-0 win. Go deeper into the box score and you’ll see that Harris hit his 14th home run of the season and Grissom went 1-for-3, accounting for two of Atlanta’s five hits on the night.
Strider gave out plenty of praise following his own historic outing, then Harris told reporters that the fountain of youth in Atlanta centered along Rookie Row provides inspiration for each other every night.
“I think we all feed off each other. It’s great,” Harris said. “It’s good to be in a good organization, having other people who taught us what we’re doing now and being on a winning team.”
That energy includes having a little fun during what could be a tense time of the season as the Braves gear up for the postseason and defense of their World Series title. While fans might have been cheering the Thursday home run from Harris, Grissom, hitting behind him in the lineup, was giving him a hard time as he rounded the bases.
“In that at-bat, Vaughn had told me to hit a double so he could hit a double and drive me in,” Harris smiled. “As soon as I hit it (the home run), you could see him in the background yelling at me and saying that he told me to keep it in the park.”
Whether it’s doubles or homers, Harris has impacted the team greatly since his debut on May 28, posting 4.1 bWAR as part of a .301/.346/.533 slash line in 327 plate appearance. Grissom didn’t debut until August 10, but he has been a tremendous addition in Atlanta, slotting in at second base while Ozzie Albies works his way back from a fractured foot and posting a .313/.360/.500 slash line in 86 plate appearances.
As impressive as both have been, it could well be Strider who earns this year’s NL Rookie of the Year Award. The 16-strikeout performance against the Rockies is part of a 9-4 mark with a 2.67 ERA/1.84 FIP/0.977 WHIP so far this year.
“Rookie Row” has already provided plenty of memorable moments in 2022 for the Atlanta Braves, and will likely be a pivotal piece of Atlanta’s postseason journey.