Two Braves Starters Who Need Replacing
The Atlanta Braves are showing improvement, with their pitching consistently strong and their offense catching up thanks to surges from players like Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Jarred Kelenic, and Ozzie Albies. As the offense continues to perform, the Braves could secure more wins in the second half of the season. To facilitate this, there are a couple of positions where upgrades are needed before the trade deadline.
Orlando Arcia
Orlando Arcia was a surprising success last season after being acquired cheaply from the Brewers in 2022. He effectively replaced Ozzie Albies and later won the starting shortstop position following Dansby Swanson’s departure, even earning All-Star recognition for his early-season performance. However, Arcia’s performance has significantly declined since then. Over his last 50 games, he’s hitting just .163 with a .477 OPS, and his season average is close to the Mendoza Line with an OPS below .600. Since July 15 of last year, he’s batting .221 with a 73 wRC+, 27% below league average.
Earlier, Arcia’s strong defense might have compensated for his offensive struggles, but his recent defensive performance has been only slightly above average, making his overall contribution to the team minimal. The Braves took a risk by relying on Arcia as their starting shortstop for 2024, but it hasn’t paid off. The team should have started exploring other options a month ago.
While finding a replacement shortstop before the trade deadline might be challenging, Bo Bichette could be a potential target. Alternatively, the Braves could look internally at Nacho Alvarez, a top prospect who has been excelling since his promotion to Gwinnett, hitting .375 with a 1.080 OPS over 11 games. If his strong performance continues, Alvarez might soon join the major league roster.
Adam Duvall
Adam Duvall’s 2024 season has been as disappointing as Arcia’s recent performance. Duvall is hitting just .170 with six home runs and a .564 OPS over 57 games, resulting in a -0.7 WAR. His struggles are particularly pronounced against right-handed pitchers, against whom he is batting .095 with a .247 OPS in 95 at-bats. Conversely, he has been effective against left-handed pitchers, hitting .263 with six home runs and a .900 OPS over 91 plate appearances.
Given these numbers, Duvall should be viewed as a platoon option rather than a regular starter, which was his intended role before Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury. Upgrading the outfield is essential for the Braves. While Duvall might improve slightly, he should not face many at-bats against right-handed pitchers.
In summary, the Braves need to consider replacing both Orlando Arcia and Adam Duvall to strengthen their lineup and maximize their chances for a successful second half of the season.
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