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Stacking up current Atlanta Braves roster with 2019 version

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GA - SEP 20: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates at the conclusion of an MLB game against the San Francisco Giants in which they clinched the NL East at SunTrust Park on September 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEP 20: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates at the conclusion of an MLB game against the San Francisco Giants in which they clinched the NL East at SunTrust Park on September 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Comparing the lineups

The Atlanta Braves had six players finish with 3 WAR or more in the 2019 season and five of those players are coming back.

Obviously the big hole in the 2020 lineup right now is Josh Donaldson who was a 4.9 WAR player in 2019.

It’s hard to imagine anyone currently on the Braves roster who can replace that production in 2020.

I could see a healthy Dansby Swanson becoming a 3 WAR player rather easily. Johan Camargo was a 3-WAR player in 2018.

If those two were to step then combined they could help replace the loss of Donaldson, but that’s still a big ask.

Austin Riley has the power potential to be a 3 or 4 WAR player, but that seems like a longshot at the moment until we see him make some adjustments.

To me, it’s all about having a lineup with great depth. If you look at the Nationals lineup from 2019 they had six players who were a 2-WAR or better player.

The 2020 lineup for the Braves just seems very top-heavy right now. We’d be going into the season hoping that Dansby and either Camargo or Riley take large steps forward.

At this moment it’s pretty easy to surmise that the 2020 Braves lineup is not as good as the 2019 version.

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