Folks, I’m afraid that we’re going to have to talk about Mauricio Dubón once again. Well, I’m not so much “afraid” of it as I am happy to do so, since this has been one heck of a week at the plate for ol’ Dubie. Dubón hit another big homer during Friday’s 6-3 win for the Atlanta Braves over the Pittsburgh Pirates and he’s now hit a homer in three straight games — a new personal best mark for Dubón in terms of homer streaks.
Earlier this week when he spoke to the media, Dubón stated that he was a “confident” guy and that he was relishing the opportunity to get the chance to show what he can do with the bat in big-time situations. This was yet another case of Dubón coming through in the big moments as both of hits came with two strikes on the board this time. I asked Dubón about where his confidence level is at right now and whether or not it’s spiking at the moment or if this is just how he normally operates.
“I’m very cocky,” said Dubón. “I know I can do it. I know I can go out there and […] let my game speak for itself. I’ve always got the chip on my shoulder so I know I can go out there and perform.”
He’s definitely been performing as of late, as he’s upped his slash line to .259/.315/.418 with a wOBA of .324 and a wRC+ of 105. For Dubón, his current wOBA and wRC+ would both be career-high numbers for him and while he did also acknowledge the ebbs and flows of a season, he seems determined to make sure that he’s making the best of this opportunity that he’s got so far.
Dubón also credited manager Walt Weiss for giving him the opportunities in the first place and Weiss was more-than-happy to deflect that praise onto his capable utilityman. “With all of the big hits he’s had, it’s pretty easy to write his name in the lineup,” explained Weiss when he was asked about Dubón’s performance so far. “It’s easy for me to write Dubón’s name in the lineup because of what he’s been doing all year. He seems to be in the middle of a lot of really good things this year.”
“He’s a treat to be around,” continued Weiss when he was asked further questions about Dubón. “It’s good energy every day. He loves playing baseball and I know that sounds weird but he truly does. You never see him without a smile on his face. Even on the days when he’s not playing, he’s a pro and he’s already ready. When he’s not in the starting lineup, he’s ready to pinch-hit or go in the game. He doesn’t even have to get any warning.”
“He’s a really good player and I think the Atlanta fans are seeing what this guy really is,” exclaimed Weiss. “Maybe he hasn’t had so many opportunities along the way but you put this guy out there and he helps you win games.”
Dubón as certainly helped the Braves a ton this season and we’re only seeing it start to ramp up with his performances this week. We’ve already talked about the versatility that he brings to the table and his sky-high confidence and now we’re starting to see him really put it all together in order to hit a level that we haven’t seen from him in other destinations. We’ll see if Dubón can continue to keep things going in the right direction as he continues to get the job done for the Braves here in 2026.
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