For half a decade, Atlanta Braves fans grew accustomed to superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. hitting leadoff whenever he was in the lineup. Earlier this year, that changed when manager Brian Snitker moved him down to third to get more RBI opportunities. While that decision was shocking to fans, it was understandable for a club that was struggling to score runs.
However, since Acuña returned from the injured list in mid-August after having dealt with a calf injury, the All-Star has struggled. After getting a day off on Friday, Brian Snitker decided to do the unthinkable, putting Acuña in a very unfamiliar spot in the lineup.
Hurston on the hill 💪#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/M26gjTn0c1
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 6, 2025
Ronald Acuña Jr. bats sixth in Braves lineup for the first time since 2018
When Ronald Acuña Jr. debuted in 2018, manager Brian Snitker slotted him in the six-hole. The rookie then quickly moved up the lineup and the rest was history. The eventual Rookie of the Year did hit in the sixth and seventh spot during that July, but after July 14, the Braves star never hit lower than fourth. Until Saturday, that is.
It's been a tough past few weeks for Acuña, who came off the IL on August 15. Since being activated, the 2025 All-Star only has one homer and is slashing .188/.317/.261, which is good for a 68 wRC+. Coming into Saturday, the right fielder has only reached base once in his last five games. Apparently, this five-game mega-slump was enough for Brian Snitker to move him way down to the sixth spot in the lineup.
On one hand, Acuña has a .048 OPS over his last 21 plate appearances. On the other hand, it is Ronald Acuña Jr, who is arguably the best player on the team and it's a 21 plate appearance sample. After all, Kyle Schwarber had a .190 OPS over a five-game span right before the Phillies final series with the Braves. That night, he hit four homers.
If anything, Acuña has been unlucky in his last five games. despite a .048 OPS since August 30, his expected stats have been far better, with an expected slash of 206/.244/.496, according to Baseball Savant. Even with a high 38.1% strikeout-rate in this span, Acuña has been been hitting the ball well, he's just unfortunately hit them right at the defense.
While a .740 OPS is far lower than we'd expect to see over a five-game sample, it would still be better than 95% of MLB players over a full season.
Overall, this is a bizarre move that can be justified on the surface, but becomes a non-sensical, unnecessary decision once you look deeper at the numbers.