5. Atlanta Braves 2021 All-Stars: Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies
This year’s edition of the Atlanta Braves All-Stars features the three offensive rocks for the Braves. These three stars have kept the Braves around .500. Let’s face it, the rest of the lineup after the top three is not what we hoped to see.
These three guys have been unbelievable in keeping the Braves in contention.
2021 Atlanta Braves All-Star: Ronald Acuña Jr.
As of this writing – the morning of Saturday, July 10th – RAJ is tied for third in all of baseball in fWAR with 3.9. He is third in the NL with 24 homers. He’s fourth in the NL in steals with 16. He is sixth in walk percentage and second in slugging.
Acuña is having another truly spectacular season. His starting nod is well-deserved. Where would we be without him? Unfortunately, we’re soon to find out.
2021 Atlanta Braves All-Star: Freddie Freeman
After a slow start (by Freddie’s standards) he has bounced back in a big way to earn this starting selection. Freeman’s 14.5% walk rate is good for fourth-best in the National League. Freeman is 10th in the NL with 18 home runs.
This is number 5’s fifth All-Star appearance. Hopefully, it won’t be his last with the Braves.
2021 Atlanta Braves All-Star: Ozzie Albies
Where would we be without the other two? Perhaps the most important player to ask that question about is our second baseman. With Marcell Ozuna getting arrested and Travis d’Arnaud suffering his injury, the Braves were left with two massive holes in the lineup.
After being moved down in the lineup earlier in the year, Ozzie Albies was forced into the three-hole to hit behind Freeman. Since Ozuna’s arrest, Albies leads all number three hitters in RBI with 34 (two more than Vlad Guerrero Jr.). He is second in doubles, just two behind doubles-machine Nicholas Castellanos. He is slashing .304/.354/.534 in that time.