The Latest Breaking News from Dansby Swanson

The Dodgers star struggled by his standards in 2021. Now, he’s surging to what could be another award-winning season.

ATLANTA — Bryce Harper had barely finished circling the bases — and shouting “Let’s Go!” at his teammates in the dugout — when Nick Nelson began trotting in from the bullpen, an unlikely closer in a ballpark that hasn’t been kind to Phillies closers.

ATLANTA — Braves manager Brian Snitker did not mince words when discussing the Milwaukee Brewers’ rotation and bullpen ahead of the series opener Friday, calling the staff “as good as it gets.”

NEW YORK — At the start of the fifth inning, the Braves didn’t even have a hit. By the end of it, they hadn’t scored in their past 18 innings dating to Tuesday’s doubleheader and seemed in danger of a disappointing flight home.

After missing what should have been a called third strike, home plate umpire Chad Fairchild owned up to his mistake.

In the season’s first meeting against the defending champion Braves, it was a former Mets catcher who tormented his original team of seven years.

"My bad!"

ATLANTA — In superstar Ronald Acuña’s return, the Braves defeated the Cubs, 5-1, on Thursday at Truist Park. In its sixth try, Atlanta (9-11) won its first series of the season by taking two of three from Chicago.

The Braves are entering a title-defense campaign for the second time since moving to Atlanta in 1966. Much has changed since the last time they played a meaningful contest. That was Game 6 of the World Series, when Max Fried tossed a gem, Jorge Soler put a pitch into orbit…