The Braves are about to swap the pressure of a pennant race for a weekend that feels a little more like baseball’s old soul.
After Saturday’s game, Atlanta will head to Williamsport, Pa., for Sunday’s Little League Classic, and the trip has already turned into a talking point inside the clubhouse. For manager Walt Weiss, it’s a first-time experience.
“I’ve never done that before. Never been to Williamsport,” Weiss said Friday. “I’m sure it’ll be a unique experience.”
Weiss said the appeal goes beyond the setting. The chance to be around the Little Leaguers, and to let them get close to the big leaguers they follow, is a big part of what makes the event special.
“It’ll be good to spread some goodwill,” Weiss said. “The kids get to be around some of their heroes. It’s a feel-good for everybody.”
That same buzz has reached the players. Drake Baldwin called the chance “awesome,” and said he’s especially eager to spend time with the Little Leaguers before the game.
Dominic Smith already knows what Williamsport brings. Sunday will be his third time there, after previous trips with the Mets in 2018 and the Nationals in 2023, and he said the appeal hasn’t worn off.
“It’s always exciting,” Smith said. “You get to meet all the kids who were just like us at one point.”
He also said the atmosphere gives the game a little extra pop.
“It gives you some extra juice,” he said. “I love it.”
Smith’s memories of Little League take him back to a simpler version of baseball, when he joked the game felt easy and he bounced around the field, with shortstop as his favorite spot.
More than anything, though, he remembered just loving to play.
And on Sunday, the Braves will get a chance to feel that again.
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