At around 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Braves released their lineup for their series finale versus the Cubs on Wednesday night.
It did not include Ronald Acuña Jr. or Austin Riley.
Acuña didn’t sustain an injury. This is just rest for him amid his struggles.
He had played in all of the Braves’ 39 games before Wednesday. The Braves are off Thursday, so this is like two off-days for Acuña.
“It’s a day off, and he can have two days,” Snitker said. “Just talked to him (Tuesday) night after the game. Just let him relax a little bit and wake up (Wednesday) knowing he’s got two days to kind of detox a little bit.”
How did Snitker know it was time to do this?
“I don’t plan it,” he said. “I look down the dugout between innings, when them guys are sitting there. You can just read their faces sometimes, and actions. And it’s like, ‘Well, it’s time.’ Kid needs a little breather here. He’s played every inning of every game. It’s not a bad thing to sit and watch sometimes.”
Acuña is batting .245 with a .696 OPS this season. He has hit only three homers in 155 at-bats. On Sunday and Monday, he was picked off of first base three times in two games.
“It’s just time, I think,” Snitker said. “It’ll be good for him to have a couple days.”
Adam Duvall was starting in left field and batting sixth. Zack Short was in the lineup at third base and batting ninth. Michael Harris II was slated to bat leadoff in Acuña’s absence.
This will be Riley’s third game out of the lineup because of tightness in his left side.
“He’s getting better, he’s still just day-to-day,” Snitker said. “We’ll just have to look at him tomorrow and Friday and see where we’re at.”
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