How the Braves can replace Ronald Acuña Jr. after his knee injury

The Atlanta Braves have been decimated by injuries this season.

The Braves are missing several members of the major league roster, namely catcher Sean Murphy (oblique), starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow), third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) and relief pitcher Tyler Matzek (elbow). Using “decimated” to describe Atlanta’s injury situation seems extreme, but in the historical context of one in ten players, it’s pretty fair considering that’s four players on the 40-man roster .

And just as the Braves prepare to return Murphy and Riley to the lineup Monday night, Atlanta is dealing with another injury: Ronald Acuña Jr., who left Sunday’s game with “knee soreness.” left” after an awkward fall. on the base paths from the first inning. Acuña compared how he felt to his 2018 knee injury, where he hyperextended his left knee and missed about a month before returning.

Acuña admitted after the game, with coach Eddie Perez’s interpretation, that he expects to miss the same number of games as in 2018 and will have an MRI Sunday night after the team returns. team in Atlanta.

If Acuña is out until (roughly) the end of June, how will the Braves replace him in the lineup? Let’s look at the options.

The first adjustment for Atlanta is the most obvious: stopping the pack in left field. That’s what manager Brian Snitker did after Acuña left today’s game, with Duvall moving from left field to right field and Jarred Kelenic entering the game at first place for Acuña and playing left field.

(Kelenic also acquitted himself well, going three for four with three runs scored Sunday afternoon, while Duvall homered in the 8th inning.)

The duo combined to bat .225 in left field, hitting seven home runs and scoring twenty-one times in the team’s first fifty games of the season.

An interesting strategic aspect: Both men have been among the favored pinch hitters so far this season, with the pair combining for twenty of Atlanta’s twenty-nine plate appearances this season. With both playing every day, another option will need to be found to give these hitters at-bats. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud struck out five times, mostly (but not exclusively) for backup Chadwick Tromp, and may have more opportunities to do so with the expected activation from the injured list of Sean Murphy next game home.

The Braves began the season with five outfielders, with Forrest Wall being rewarded for his offseason work and offense in spring training with a spot in the Opening Day roster. But after getting only one at-bat in the team’s first seventeen games, he was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to get daily playing time.

(And that playing time has gone well – Wall is batting .308/.422/.495 with Gwinnett this season and has 23 runs scored in his 29 games with the Stripers. His six stolen bases on the season give him gives sole possession of 2nd in Gwinnett history, with only Jose Costanza’s 88 from 2011 to 2014 ahead of him. He hit four homers for the Stripers, with his next homer putting him ahead of Ozzie Albies’ stint in. 2016-2017 with the team for most of the team’s history).

If the Braves decide to let Wall continue playing every day in Gwinnett, other outfielders on the 40-man roster include JP Martinez and utility Luke Williamswho has 261.2 career MLB innings in the outfield, primarily in left (181.1) and center (73.1).

Martínez would be an interesting option – the 28-year-old outfielder was acquired via trade this offseason from the Texas Rangers, where he got about 40 at-bats on their 2023 roster, but was replaceable with the expected promotions of prospects Evan Carter and Wyatt. Langford.

He showed less power at Gwinnett than at Wall, hitting only three home runs with a .404 slugging percentage, but it is believed he could possibly be an ideal fourth outfielder as a defensively sound individual with good ability of contact.

Zack runswho replaces Riley at third base, and newly acquired Joey Wendle both are not considered potential on-field options. Short has played only eight major league innings (and only 130 minor league) on turf, while Wendle, 34, has not been asked to play more than one inning at a time in the outfield since 2018, when Tampa Bay threw him in left field for thirteen starts and 112.1 innings.

More than any other major league team, it doesn’t matter who Atlanta calls up to fill the bench during Ronald’s planned absence — they probably won’t play anyway.

Barring injuries or breakouts, Atlanta generally doesn’t rest its regulars during the season. The only everyday player (so outside of left field and receiving platoon) to receive a “maintenance day” out of the lineup that wasn’t for health reasons was shutdown- short Orlando Arcia, who was not in the starting lineup on April 15. against Houston, then entered the lineup as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning anyway.

Even if the choice of who will occupy the bench during Ronald’s absence is only marginally important – hit or run appearances, any surprise injury to one of the starting outfielders – there is plenty bet that the called player won’t see much (or any) action anyway.