Dominic Smith Reacts to Hitting Walk-Off Grand Slam in Braves Debut After Mother's Death

In his debut for the Atlanta Braves, veteran designated hitter Dominic Smith felt the presence of his late mother as he celebrated his walk-off grand slam in a 6-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Less than two weeks after he lost his mother to cancer, Smith capped off Atlanta's six-run ninth inning by becoming the first player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam in his debut with a new team, per ESPN.

"You know, I'm trying to hold back tears now," Smith said afterward, admitting that he "got choked up a bunch of times" thinking about his mom amid the celebration. "I feel her every day. I miss her dearly. It's not a moment I don't think about her. And like I said, I'm just so thankful because this team knows what I'm going through. So they really, you know, picked me up the last few weeks."

The fan who caught Smith's walk-off grand slam reportedly returned the ball to him after the revelation of his mother's death.

Smith's mother was diagnosed with cancer in September. He said he was away from the team for a little over a week after she suffered a "scare" during camp, but he returned because he was fighting for a job. He was not with her at the time of her passing in California. He was one of the last players to make the Braves' Opening Day roster, and he praised the organization for its support.

"This team is just so awesome," Smith said. "I'm so blessed because of the love they showed me, the support every day. They're asking about her, asking about her well-being, my well-being, and that's all they really cared about. They didn't care about baseball."

Smith will get to return to the West Coast next week during the Braves' road trip to Anaheim, California. He said he will see family and say his "goodbyes" during the trip.