Atlanta Braves fans are very happy to have Ronald Acuña Jr. back after a lengthy stay on the IL due to a hamstring strain. The offense sputtered a bit during his absence, but found a way to recover after the All-Star break. Fortunately, he's now back from the IL, and just being in the lineup makes a difference. Teams know how dangerous a hitter he is.
Acuña is underperforming a bit, but that was to be expected. It will take him some time to get back up to speed. He probably won't be much of a threat on the bases, but as long as he hits well, that should be fine.
Braves made the wise decision to move Ronald Acuña Jr. down in the lineup, hoping to get him back on track
With his struggles at the plate, it was time for the Braves to consider moving him elsewhere in the lineup. It's hard to imagine him batting anywhere else but first, especially with how incredible his numbers are. Acuña stats over the last seven games are putrid, with an .083 average, one homer, two walks, and 10 strikeouts. That is not what anyone hope to see from him.
While Acuna not hitting as well is a big reason to change things up, it helps the Braves to not put two lefties back-to-back in the lineup. Drake Baldwin has proven he can handle leadoff duties, and quite frankly, his approach fits that role well. This allows the team to put Acuna second, in front of the hot-hitting Matt Olson. That may help get Atlanta's superstar better pitches to work with, while lengthening the lineup.
That logic could also extend further down the lineup, with Austin Riley also struggling in a similar way. Maybe this could help take some pressure off of them and get things going in the right direction. Manager Walt Weiss seems to agree, as he did just that with the lineup on Saturday. Acuna will slot in between Baldwin and Olson. Should things go well, this may be the new normal for the outfielder. At least for a little while.
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