The highly-publicized battle for Atlanta Braves Opening Day shortstop seems to have come to an end, and the winner is...Orlando Arcia.
Atlanta made the decision to send both Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake down to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday night, hours after a Spring Training win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Grissom finished his Spring with a three-hit performance, while Shewmake hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 8th that would give Atlanta the win.
The Braves today optioned RHP Nick Anderson, INF Vaughn Grissom, INF Braden Shewmake, OF Jordan Luplow and OF Eli White to Triple-A Gwinnett, & reassigned LHP Danny Young, C Ryan Casteel, C Joe Hudson and INF Yolmer Sánchez to minor league camp. Atlanta now has 32 players in camp
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 20, 2023
After the departure of Dansby Swanson during the off-season, Grissom looked like the leading candidate to at least split time with Arcia at shortstop this year. He had a strong Spring at the plate, slashing .371/.400/.829 with six RBIs. Shewmake came into camp as the surprise contender for the job, putting up solid offensive numbers of his own just a few months after tearing the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his left knee.
With both Shewmake and Grissom heading to Gwinnett, that leaves Arcia as the starter for Opening Day, and Ehire Adrianza with the utility role in the Braves infield.
Atlanta made several others moves to trim the Spring roster, optioning Nick Anderson, Jordan Luplow and Eli White to Gwinnett, and reassigning Danny Young, Ryan Casteel, Joe Hudson, and Yolmer Sanchez to minor league camp.
Anderson appeared in seven games this Spring for the Braves, finishing with a 3.38 ERA in eight innings of work. He last appeared in a major league game in 2021 after battling injuries all of 2022. He still could provide a bit of depth for the Braves bullpen down the stretch.
Luplow and White both were battling for a spot in the revolving door of outfielders for the Braves. Coming over in a December trade with Texas, White hit above .400 this Spring with three home runs and seven RBIs. Luplow signed a one-year deal with Atlanta earlier that month.
There's still moves to be made with less than two weeks until Opening Day, with 32 players remaining in camp for Atlanta.