Drake Baldwin's Monster Day Features Career Highs, Braves Rout Rangers

Drake Baldwin saw the ball as well as he ever has during the Atlanta Braves' win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. He put up a five-hit day, including two solo home runs and a third run scored.

It was the first game of his career with four hits or more in a game. This also made him the first Braves player with five hits since Whit Merrifield on Aug. 26, 2024. In turn, he was the first Braves catcher to achieve this since Johnny Estrada on May 15, 2004.

As for the combination of the two, he became Is one of seven Braves in the Atlanta era (since 1966) with at least five hits and two homers in a game, the first to do so since Ozzie Albies on June 30, 2021.

When putting together a historic performance in relation to the franchise's history, it's safe to say that any semblance of his gruesome slump is nothing more than a faded memory.

"Baldwin. He's back. He's back to form," manager Walt Weiss said after the game. "I think it's official now."

For good measure, he got his second stolen base in. The was an aim to swipe a bag, and if the opportunity arose, he was going to go for it.

"I haven't had too many of those, so it's still pretty new to me, but it's fun," Baldwin said.

Since the calendar turned to July, he's done nothing but show why he was voted to be the starting catcher for the National League in the All-Star Game. For much of the early going, he looked like an MVP candidate.

He may not be in the chatter for that honor, but he's playing to that level again, and when the team needs him to.

The Braves' bats overall had a solid weekend coming back from the break. They plated 29 runs on 42 hits over three games against the Rangers. It's the most they have had of either statistic during a three-game series this season.

If not for some hiccups on the pitching side on Saturday afternoon, this would have been a sweep.

Either way, it's a series win. They'll take it.

They have 21 series win on the season, matching the Dodgers and Brewers for the most. It also matches the number of series they won last season.

"Coming back a little recharged, and it's nice to see them firing on all cylinders with the offense there," Baldwin said. "So just kind of carrying that moment forward, and it's nice to get a series win there."

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