Ronald Acuna is off to an MVP-level start, and Freddie Freeman is beginning to round into form after homering in three consecutive games. Others on the offense, however, haven’t hit their stride.
Marcell Ozuna, who flirted with the triple crown last season, has slumped out of the gate. He’s 4-for-32 with 13 strikeouts and no extra-base hits through nine games. Ozzie Albies has looked better lately, recording a hit in five consecutive games and homering Sunday against Phillies southpaw Matt Moore, but he’s hitting .139 overall on the young campaign.
“When we face a left-hander, I don’t think there’s a better hitter - he’s as good a hitter there is against a left-handed pitcher,” manager Brian Snitker said of Albies. “It’s been better recently, that’s for sure. Where we are, we’re not hitting on all cylinders with our offense yet and we’re hanging right in there. Playing all these consecutive games is good. Once we get going, we have a pretty good chance of getting this thing off the ground.”
Shortstop Dansby Swanson has had some productive at-bats in the past two days, but he’s 6-for-32 (.188) with 14 strikeouts in nine games. Slugging third baseman Austin Riley is 6-for-29 without an extra-base hit. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, coming off the best season of his career, is also below his expected averages with a .267/.313/.433 line.
Despite the underachievement, the Braves have stayed afloat. Acuna, Freeman and pinch-hitting heroics won’t carry the offense forever, but the Braves know they won’t need to. Eventually, the bats will start clicking. That’s likely when the team makes its first big surge.
“As long as we can stay above water a little here until all that happens, I think that’s a good thing,” Snitker said.
Notes from Monday:
- Snitker and the Braves are moving past Sunday’s game, when they lost to the Phillies on a botched review call. “That was yesterday,” Snitker said. “We’re going to go out today, concentrate on the Marlins and try to get something going again. ... Every day is a new day. You can’t control anything that happened yesterday or tomorrow. The only thing you have control over is today. You have to stay in that now mentality so you don’t drive yourself crazy.”
- That said, Snitker said he endorses the common thought that it’d be better if the replay crew in New York didn’t know the initial call on the field when undergoing a review. “I’ve said that, too, for a couple years,” Snitker said. “Maybe we just send it there, is it out or safe? Fair or foul? I kind of like that.”
- Catcher Alex Jackson started Monday and will also start Thursday’s day game. It’ll be a good opportunity for him to log some at-bats. Despite his struggles making consistent contact, Jackson’s power potential creates intrigue around his offensive ability. The team already sees him as a sound defender.
- Right-hander Huascar Ynoa was scheduled for the Braves on Monday against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins. The rest of the pitching match-ups for this four-game series at Truist Park:
Tuesday: Max Fried vs. Pablo Lopez
Wednesday: Charlie Morton vs. Nick Neidert
Thursday: Ian Anderson vs. Trevor Rogers
