This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Read our story on the balloting format, which includes two phases of fan voting to determine the All-Star starters.
ATLANTA -- Michael Harris II’s first few months of fatherhood have been paved by the unselfish love his mother and father provided him while growing up in the Atlanta area.
“I’m just kind of following in their footsteps,” Harris said. “I feel like they raised me to be a good man. It’s early. Our son isn’t even crawling yet. But I just want to be there for all those moments and milestones.”
This year’s Father’s Day will be a special one for the Harris family. The Braves' center fielder and his wife Esther welcomed their first child, Michael Harris III (Trip), to the world in April.
“It's pretty cool being a parent,” Harris said. “I guess you can't really prepare for what it’s actually going to be like, but my first couple months have been pretty exciting.”
Trip’s arrival certainly strengthened the belief in Dad Strength, a term often used when a new father improves his power numbers over the days and weeks following the birth of his latest child.
Harris has hit .325 with 12 homers and a .911 OPS over the 54 games he has played since becoming a father. His production has created the possibility that Trip could be joining his father at this year’s All-Star Game.
When the first All-Star ballot update was announced earlier this week, Harris ranked fourth among NL outfielders. The 2022 NL Rookie of the Year is bidding for his first All-Star selection.
At the same time, he’s savoring his first chance to be a parent. A Major League baseball player’s responsibilities require him to be away from family on a consistent basis. Teams usually have at least two road trips every month. But players often spend at least eight hours of the day at the stadium during homestands.
“Whenever I come back home, I’m always excited to see him, even though he’s usually about to go to sleep or has already gone to sleep," said Harris. "I try to get as much time that night and handle whatever I can in the morning. You just want to do what spend as much time as you can with him.”
Fortunately, Harris can continue to lean on his parents, Michael and LaTaucha, both of whom are present for most of Atlanta’s home games. The eldest of the Harris men will also have extra reason to celebrate on Sunday, when he experiences his first Father’s Day as a grandfather.
“He's put me in a good position to be successful in life and show me what it's like to be a good person, have good character and always to treat everybody with respect,” Harris said.