The Braves have tried many different batting orders this season.
In Friday’s game, Austin Riley returned to third in the lineup while Marcell Ozuna moved from third to fifth. This same order was kept for Saturday’s game against the Phillies at Truist Park.
Braves manager Brian Snitker discussed his reasoning.
“You know that I kind of liked the way it looked again,” he said. “You know when Austin was scuffling, I moved Marcel to three even though he started out the year hitting five and knocking all the runs in, but honestly I like him there.
“He’s [Ozuna] down there to do some damage and knock runs in,” Snitker said.
For Ozuna, he has been a .331 hitter in the 39 games this season where he’s batted fifth. He has recorded 13 home runs, two shy of the Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton. He’s also contributed 43 RBIs – the most by a five-hole hitter in the league.
In Saturday’s game, Ozuna put one over the fence in his first at-bat, driving in two runs. Then in the fourth inning, Ozuna recorded a double. He helped the Braves cruise to a 5-1 win.
Ozuna talked about batting fifth.
“I mean I said as soon as I get here to Atlanta, I tell them like, it [the lineup] doesn’t matter what spot I’m gonna be no matter. Ninth, leadoff, is gonna be cool to be in the lineup, especially in this organization,” Ozuna said.
His home run Saturday night followed his three-run homer in Friday’s eighth inning against the Phillies. Before this weekend series, Ozuna had tied his longest spell of the season where he went 11 games without a home run, dating back to June 22 versus the Yankees.
His bat has been needed. In the past 60 games before Saturday, back to April 28, the Braves are scoring 3.66 runs per game, which is the third-fewest in the league, only ahead of the Marlins (3.53) and the White Sox (3.41).
Ozuna hopes to lead the Braves to another win Sunday. They are nine games behind the Phillies in the East Division.
“I tell my team every time we play against the Phillies that we have to think of it like a playoff game. We have to continue to put in good work and go out there and battle every single outing,” Ozuna said.
