The Atlanta Braves kicked off the 2025 MLB season against a familiar opponent: the San Diego Padres, the team that eliminated them in the NL Wild Card Series just a few months ago.
The game was a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle, but Atlanta’s bullpen ultimately faltered late. However, the Braves’ offense showed promising signs, looking more like the dominant unit from 2023 rather than last season’s inconsistent version.
Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley both homered, providing early fireworks. Albies nearly launched a second home run, but a spectacular grab at the left-field wall denied him.
With one out in the top of the sixth inning, rookie catcher Drake Baldwin stepped up to the plate, filling in for the injured Sean Murphy. After striking out and drawing a walk in his first two at-bats, Baldwin showed Braves fans a glimpse of his immense potential in his third trip to the plate.
Facing lefty Yuki Matsui, Baldwin worked the count before crushing a deep drive to straightaway center field. He was just feet away— and one Jackson Merrill snag—from recording his first MLB hit and home run.
Though it will be recorded as a routine flyout in the box score, Drake Baldwin’s deep drive was anything but ordinary. His swing produced an exit velocity of 103.7 MPH and an expected batting average of .810—numbers that should excite Braves fans about his potential.
Beyond the raw power, Baldwin also displayed impressive plate discipline and vision, working a quality at-bat against a talented left-hander in Yuki Matsui. It was an encouraging sign for the rookie as he steps into a larger role early in the season.
