Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II was activated on Wednesday after a two-month stint on the IL with a hamstring injury. The Braves were hoping to get the player back that won the 2022 Rookie of the Year, rather than the one that had struggled much of the 2024 season before becoming injured.

The early returns were good on Wednesday night in a 13-2 blowout of the San Francisco Giants.

Harris belted his first-career grand slam, a no-doubter into McCovey Cove to give the Braves a 5-0 lead before the Giants would even pick up a bat.

“Just being patient,” Harris said after the game about his journey back to the Braves. “Just getting back knowing I can some way help the team. Tonight, I was able to do that in the first at bat. It’s been a long journey, but I’m glad to be back to be able to help.”

As it turns out, Harris is the first Atlanta Braves player to splash down in the cove.

“Last year I thought I got one in there,” Harris said with a grin. “I wasn’t strong enough. So I knew when I came back I had to get one in there. Just being a Braves fan, I wouldn’t have believed I was the first one to go in there, but I’m glad to be the first I guess.”

The ball in the water opened the flood gates for the Atlanta offense. Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Sean Murphy each had home runs in the blowout win.

It just wouldn’t be the Atlanta Braves without some potential bad news as well. Jorge Soler exited the game in the fourth inning with hamstring tightness. He’ll undergo an MRI on Thursday to check for any damage. Soler has been playing great for the Braves since being re-acquired before the deadline.

The Braves have won three-in-a-row since hitting rock bottom in the Rocky Mountains on Sunday. The Giants had a chance to pass the Braves in the wildcard race. Instead, Atlanta has opened up a two-game lead on the Mets, and San Francisco has fallen 4.5 back.

Max Fried is scheduled to take the bump at 3:45 p.m. EST as the Braves look for a rare-four-game sweep of the Giants.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – People living in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward have noticed a new security officer patrolling the streets… and the fact that it’s not a person at all.

“Spunky,” said Brenda, a nearby resident at Station 464 Apartments. “His name is Spunky.”

Spunky patrols the sidewalks in front of Station 464 & 496 Apartments on Boulevard NE, a busy road that’s seen an uptick in crime over the past six months.

“Yes, it’s needed,” Brenda said. “It’s very much needed.”

Spunky is actually a K-5 robot created by Knightscope.

“I love that they came up with Spunky,” said Knightscope Executive Vice President Stacy Stephens upon hearing the name. “He’s our fifth generation.”

Listed on the depth chart as weighing over 400 pounds and standing at 5′6,″ Spunky acts much like a person with a 2.5-hour battery life.

“We as humans have five senses we use to navigate our daily lives,” Stephens said. “The robot coincidentally has five sensors to navigate through its life.”

That includes sensors to navigate and recognize anomalies, where it can record the surrounding area, notify police of problems, and even give basic commands.

“Yes, it’s going to engage and interact with people,” Stephens said. “It’s not, however, like a Siri or Alexa, where you’re going to sit there and have a conversation with it.”

And it’s not going to keep the pod bay doors closed. (Sorry, Hal).

Spunky has been on patrol for only a month, but the reviews are positive.

“Well, I would give him a 10 out of 10,” Brenda said. “It’s 100% safer.”

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Libby Allnatt

Libby Allnatt is the Editor/Reporter for What Now Atlanta. She has been in the journalism industry since graduating from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, gathering experience in copy editing, writing and social media. With a passion for helping people find their new favorite places, Libby enjoys highlighting small businesses, trying new coffee shops and exploring a city’s signature spots. Originally from Salt Lake City, she loves discovering all the Peach State has to offer.