ST. LOUIS – Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia exited Monday’s game early due to dizziness.
In the top of the sixth inning at Busch Stadium, Arcia hit an easy grounder to shortstop for the first out of the inning. And when the bottom of the sixth rolled around, Zack Short went out to shortstop to replace him.
The Braves’ athletic training staff gave Arcia IV fluids once he departed the game, which the Braves lost 4-3.
“Just probably dehydrated, I guess,” manager Brian Snitker said after the game. “I don’t know. …I know they gave him some fluids, so we’ll probably put him down tomorrow and let him regroup and see where he’s at.”
Through a team spokesman, Arcia politely declined to comment after the game. He didn’t appear to be feeling too well.
Snitker said the Braves will likely sit Arcia on Tuesday to give him a day of rest after experiencing the dizziness.
“I mean, you don’t ever want to see anybody come out,” Austin Riley said. “Hopefully it’s just a (one-day) thing and he can get some fluids in him and get him back out there. He’s a big part of this team – defensively, offensively. So, hopefully he can get back to feeling better.”
Arcia has struggled this season. After going 0-for-2 with a strikeout on Monday, he’s batting .212 with a .586 OPS. He has six home runs and 22 RBIs.
In the Cardinals’ four-run third inning on Monday, which accounted for all of their scoring, Arcia slid to snag a grounder, but missed and it went into left field as a run scored. Had he made the play and thrown to first base in time, it would’ve ended the inning. And this isn’t to blame him – it was a difficult play. But he’s a terrific shortstop who usually makes those.
If Arcia isn’t available on Tuesday, the Braves will be playing two men down. Brian Anderson, an infielder and outfielder, isn’t on the trip as he deals with a lower body bacterial infection.
If the Braves don’t bring up anyone, Zack Short would almost certainly start at shortstop in place of Arcia.
