DENVER, CO – JUNE 3: Orlando Arcia #11 of the Atlanta Braves (Ozzie Albies backup) steps on second base and waits for the throw for a force out against the Colorado Rockies during a game at Coors Field on June 3, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.
The Atlanta Braves will be without Ozzie Albies for a significant amount of time and these three players could best fill the void in his absence.
A fractured foot will keep Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies out of action for at least 60 days. The timetable for when he might return to the lineup is unknown at this time. For the surging Braves, it’s important they don’t rest with just any replacement for him.
Atlanta has turned things completely around after a cold start to the year. They can see the New York Mets at the top of the National League East. Making sure they add some talent to the lineup in place of Albies while he is out is essential.
Who will it be? From the majors to the minors, these three have a chance to make Albies’ absence far more minimal.
1) The simplest Ozzie Albies replacement for the Braves is Orlando Arcia
An April trade last year brought Orlando Arcia from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Braves. Arcia had become expendable for the Brewers and a .091 batting average to begin the year convinced them enough was enough.
He didn’t hit particularly well for the Braves in 2021. In 78 trips to the plate, he batted just .214/.282/.343. Maybe the gamble on him wasn’t worth it.
However, through 61 plate appearances in 2021, Arcia looks like a new man. He has slashed .327/.393/.519 while giving the team innings at third base, in left field, and at second base.
If Arcia can continue to hit well, he’s the easy answer to help replace Albies. We definitely shouldn’t expect him to continue at this pace.
However, even just respectable numbers like the ones he had in 2020—a .260/.317/.416 slash line with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 189 plate appearances—might be enough to help in the absence of one of the most important members of the Braves roster.
A fractured foot will keep Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies out of action for at least 60 days. The timetable for when he might return to the lineup is unknown at this time. For the surging Braves, it’s important they don’t rest with just any replacement for him.
Atlanta has turned things completely around after a cold start to the year. They can see the New York Mets at the top of the National League East. Making sure they add some talent to the lineup in place of Albies while he is out is essential.
Who will it be? From the majors to the minors, these three have a chance to make Albies’ absence far more minimal.
1) The simplest Ozzie Albies replacement for the Braves is Orlando Arcia
An April trade last year brought Orlando Arcia from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Braves. Arcia had become expendable for the Brewers and a .091 batting average to begin the year convinced them enough was enough.
He didn’t hit particularly well for the Braves in 2021. In 78 trips to the plate, he batted just .214/.282/.343. Maybe the gamble on him wasn’t worth it.
However, through 61 plate appearances in 2021, Arcia looks like a new man. He has slashed .327/.393/.519 while giving the team innings at third base, in left field, and at second base.
If Arcia can continue to hit well, he’s the easy answer to help replace Albies. We definitely shouldn’t expect him to continue at this pace.
However, even just respectable numbers like the ones he had in 2020—a .260/.317/.416 slash line with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 189 plate appearances—might be enough to help in the absence of one of the most important members of the Braves roster.
ST LOUIS, MO – MAY 10: Kramer Robertson #35 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during his MLB debut against the Baltimore Orioles at Busch Stadium on May 10, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri.
2) The Braves could always call up Kramer Robertson as another option to replace Ozzie Albies
The Braves just claimed infielder Kramer Robertson off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals a few days prior to Albies’ injury. Eddie Rosario was moved to the 60-day IL to make room for him. The transaction suddenly becomes a whole lot more important with the devastating injury to the club’s starting second baseman.
Robertson has only one major league at-bat when he grounded out late in a blowout Cardinals win and drove in a run. He also made an error in that game but sample size tells us it’s hardly enough to suggest anything about him.
This season in Triple-A, Robertson has combined to hit .224/.389/.365 with 5 home runs in 198 plate appearances. It’s a big drop from the .253/.366/.414 he mustered last year in 466 plate appearances at the same level.
Robertson is a lifetime .247/.360/.367 hitter in the minor leagues with minimal power. He can steal bases at an above-average rate and would probably fit in best as a 26th man on a team’s roster.
Regular starts at second base for Robertson will only happen if Arcia suffers an injury of his own or he becomes completely unplayable.
For a third option, the Braves will need to reach outside of the organization. They might not even need to make a trade for one of the better immediate options. Someone most baseball fans already know just became available.
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 26: Dee Strange-Gordon #9 of the Washington Nationals fields the ball against the Colorado Rockies at Nationals Park on May 26, 2022 in Washington, DC.
3) The Braves could take a flier on Dee Strange-Gordon to replace Ozzie Albies
Dee Strange-Gordon was recently designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals. As unappealing as he may be in some regards, he did hit .305/.305/.356 in his 59 opportunities this season.
The matching batting average and OBP shows a clear indication of Strange-Gordon’s lack of walks—zero this season with the Nationals.
The skills that won him the 2015 National League batting title have diminished but he’s still a spunky singles hitter capable of using his legs. In minimal chances this year, Strange-Gordon did manage to steal 3 bases in 5 attempts.
Strange-Gordon is like Robertson but with a resume. You’d want him on your team only for some depth and to play the role of pinch-runner. His best days are clearly behind him. If Arcia doesn’t work out, however, it might be nice to have him around even to get the Braves through a couple of weeks with something respectable at the position.
Swinging slightly bigger, the Braves could always make a trade with the Nationals for second baseman Cesar Hernandez. Another second baseman incredibly light on power, he shouldn’t cost all that much. Hernandez is hitting .269/.317/.330 this year with zero home runs but 14 doubles.
As far as trades go, he might be the best one available right now. The Nationals aren’t going anywhere and even a trade to a rival like the Braves shouldn’t be off-limits to them.
