Walt Weiss Makes His Feelings on Joey Bart Clear After Game-Winning Home Run

Joey Bart stepped up in the eighth inning of a scoreless game on Wednesday night at PNC Park, turned on a Dennis Santana slider with two outs and Mike Yastrzemski on second, and crushed it 422 feet to left-center field for a two-run home run that gave the Atlanta Braves all they needed in a 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The blast came against the team that traded Bart to Atlanta just three weeks ago, making it even sweeter for a catcher still looking for his footing since arriving.

After the game, Braves manager Walt Weiss shared his thoughts on what Bart has brought to the club since the June 18 trade that sent right-hander Hunter Stratton to Pittsburgh.

"He's got some presence back there behind the plate," Weiss said. "He can hit a ball in the seats like he did. He's been a nice pickup."

This comes from a manager who has spent the season wanting his team to lean into its power identity, and Bart's homer fit that vision in a game where the Braves managed just five hits but still found a way to win.

The Braves got Bart because they needed help behind the plate.

Sean Murphy has been on the 60-day injured list since May with a broken finger, and Atlanta had been stuck with Sandy León hitting just .091 as its backup.

The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft gave the club a clear upgrade, adding a right-handed bat and a veteran presence alongside starter Drake Baldwin.

Bart's overall numbers sit at .229 with four home runs across 31 games between Pittsburgh and Atlanta this season, so the bat has not been flashy.

But Weiss pointed to his presence behind the plate for a reason, since Atlanta's pitching staff has been one of the best in the National League.

Having a catcher who can handle a game while also putting one in the seats when the moment calls for it is exactly what the Braves needed.

The win moved the Braves to 53-38 and kept them on top of the NL East, though the Phillies have closed to just three games back after Atlanta went 3-7 over its last 10 games heading into Wednesday, and Bart's big swing stopped the slide at the right time.

It also helps that Bart is playing close to home after growing up in Buford, Georgia and playing college ball at Georgia Tech because that kind of connection does not show up in a box score.

However, Weiss clearly values what Bart brings to the clubhouse just as much as what he does on the field.