There’s no replacing Ronald Acuna. When the Braves’ young superstar outfielder tore his ACL just before the All-Star break, it was the biggest blow in a season with seemingly endless misfortune.
But general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn’t wave the white flag. Before the second half began, he acquired outfielder Joc Pederson from the Cubs to fill Acuna’s spot. And 17 games into his Braves tenure, Pederson has proved a shrewd pickup.
Pederson, 29, is hitting .313/.362/.469 with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs with the Braves. A long-time Dodger, Pederson has reached base in 10 consecutive games entering Wednesday. The Braves’ experience with their enemy-turned-friend couldn’t have started much better.
“He’s been great with us so far,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “Just a quality, championship player that you need in your lineup every single day. He brings it every day, wants to be in there every day regardless of who’s pitching. Getting a couple hits against some lefties, getting an RBI (in the first inning of Tuesday’s win) was huge for us to keep the line moving. Joc’s been great since we got him. We have a pretty good lineup right now going, and things are clicking right now.”
Braves outfielders should have to wear name tags. Pederson is one of several new players in a redesigned outfield. Anthopoulos also acquired Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario before the trade deadline. Additionally, the team is still relying on veterans Guillermo Heredia and Abraham Almonte, who came out of nowhere to play important roles.
“We’ve dealt with a lot of injuries this year, and obviously losing Ronald, it’s just really, really hard to make that up,” Freeman said. “I applaud Alex for going out there and getting us some guys. Our lineup has lengthened tremendously since the trade deadline.”
The Braves couldn’t have predicted what would happen to their outfield. Marcell Ozuna was injured and is out of the picture because of his off-field situation. Acuna, an MVP candidate, was injured trying to make a play in the outfield just the Saturday before the break.
In a more predictable but nonetheless disappointing development, Cristian Pache, the team’s opening-day center fielder, was demoted to Triple-A Gwinnett after struggling mightily against major-league pitching. Heredia has handled most of the work in center since.
The Braves’ flurry of acquisitions suggests the team understandably doesn’t see Pache or prospect Drew Waters, who’s had a hot-and-cold campaign in Gwinnett, factoring into their plans for the season.
Despite once making a winning record look like an impossibility, the Braves (53-54) are in the postseason race, leading Anthopoulos to acquire proven commodities. His team is now only 2-1/2 games behind the first-place Mets (55-51) in the subpar National League East.
The NL East is looking like MLB’s answer to the NFL’s NFC East last season. The Washington Football Team won that feeble division with a 7-9 record. The MLB-equivalent is on pace for a division champion with a win total in the mid-to-low 80s.
The Mets have lost five of six and have a 13-game stretch against the Dodgers and Giants looming this month. The Phillies (54-53) likewise are in the mix and have an easier schedule, though they’re as difficult to predict as their two divisional competitors.
All that to say the Braves are very much alive. Pederson’s play has helped them stay in it. The team knew who it was getting in Pederson, who was part of two Dodgers teams that eliminated the Braves in 2018 and 2020, but he’s exceeded expectations thus far.
Pederson had two hits Tuesday, his fifth multi-hit effort since joining the team. If this continues, the Braves and Pederson, who could become a free agent this winter, stand to benefit greatly.
“He’s been great,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s been really, really good. We’ll continue to get him in and out against some lefties, pick our spots with him. Joc comes to play, I know that. He has a great disposition and attitude. He likes playing baseball. I’ve enjoyed him so far.”
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