There’s a natural evolution for all teams that choose to tear it down and rebuild. First they become really bad. Then they stay bad longer than expected. Then they improve. Then they get interesting. Then, if all goes well and somebody at the top knows what they’re doing, they get good.
It’s too early at this point to conclude the Braves are good. They are 12-10 exactly 13.6 percent into the season. But they are interesting, and likable, and entertaining, and certainly more impressive than they have been since they started going backward four years ago.
Two things happened Tuesday night in Cincinnati: 1) The Braves were losing 5-0 and were being no-hit through six innings. But then Freddie Freeman hit a home run and the team rallied for three runs in the seventh and four in the ninth to tie the score 7-7 before losing 9-7 in 12 innings. 2) Despite the loss, the team took another leap into the future when it was learned Ronald Acuna will be promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett and join the team for Wednesday’s game in Cincinnati.
And the angels sing. On Twitter.
First, the bad news: Acuna can’t pitch an inning out of the bullpen, although he probably wouldn’t be any worse than what we’ve witnessed this season. (The Braves’ bullpen has a 4.38 ERA and has issued a major-league high 64 walks.)
But the 20-year-old will make his much-anticipated major league debut and he brings another bat to a lineup that is driving this inspired early-season play -- a lineup that may be relied on all season because the bullpen is what it is and the starting pitching remains discomforting. The Braves rank among major league leaders with 122 runs (fifth), 205 hits (fifth), 50 doubles (third), .262 team batting average (fourth) and .764 OPS (fifth).
Can they maintain that pace? Probably not. But there's no reason to believe Dansby Swanson or the rest of them are suddenly going to spiral, either.
Which brings me back to Acuna. This is perfect timing for Acuna.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos received a lot of criticism for doing the right thing when he sent Acuna, the team's presumptive starting left fielder, to Gwinnett to begin the season, despite a .432 average in spring training. Having Acuna in Gwinnett at least two weeks limited Acuna's service time and ensured the team would gain an extra year of salary control on the back end.
When Acuna went 5-for-36 (.139) with 14 strikeouts in his first nine games, it just made the decision look that much better. The Braves could sit back and wait for him to find his groove in Triple-A, while also not sending the wrong message to temp left fielder Preston Tucker, who got off to a blazing start.
But Tucker has come back to earth and Acuna has warmed up. He went 2-for-4 with a double in Gwinnett’s game at Rochester on Tuesday night and he’s 12-for-40 (.300) in the past 10 games.
The Braves’ lineup is about to get a makeover. Acuna takes over in left fieldM and Jose Bautista will soon become the starting third baseman. Bautista is 37 years old and no longer the slugger who was an All-Star six consecutive years (2010-15), when he averaged 38 home runs and 96 RBIs over that span. In the past two seasons, his batting average (near .260 before) dropped to .234 and .203, respectively. But he still hit 20-plus home runs with more than 80 RBIs each season.
I like it. Anthopoulos, who was with Bautista in Toronto, had nothing to lose by this signing. Bautista has played most of his career in right field, but the general manager apparently feels potential defensive weaknesses will be made up for at the plate. Bautista also gives the club a needed veteran presence.
The Braves have evolved into a fun team to watch.
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