Trying to squeeze more runs from a punchless offense, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez plans to use platoons at left field, center field and third base for the time being.
Instead of having Adonis Garcia as the every-day third baseman, where he’s started all but one game this season, Gonzalez will play Garcia in left field against most right-handed pitchers and start Jeff Francoeur in left field against lefties and some right-handers whom he matches up well against.
Braves left fielder Hector Olivera is out indefinitely after being charged with assault and battery April 13 in Arlington, Va., and placed on leave by Major League Baseball in accordance with its domestic-violence policy. It’s uncertain whether Olivera will play again for the Braves, who were extremely disappointed and angry with him after the alleged incident involving a female acquaintance at the team hotel.
Garcia will play third base when he’s not in left field, and when Garcia’s not at third base it’ll be Kelly Johnson, Jace Peterson and Daniel Castro all possibly getting some starts. Gordon Beckham could also figure into that third-base mix when he comes off the 15-day disabled list, perhaps in another week or two.
Those same four infielders could all get time at second base, where each made at least three starts in the team’s first 18 games. Beckham had moved into the primary second-base duties before straining a hamstring April 16 and landing on the DL.
In center field, Gonzalez plans to use Drew Stubbs against most lefties and continue playing Mallex Smith against right-handers. When starting center fielder Ender Inciarte (strained hamstring) returns from the DL in early May, Smith could be sent back to Triple-A, though the Braves haven’t said for sure.
Smith was 1-for-15 with seven strikeouts against lefties before Monday, while Stubbs was 4-for-13.
Gonzalez had Garcia and Smith take fly balls in left field hours before Monday’s game, but started Francoeur Monday because Francoeur had such good career numbers against Porcello: 9-for-23 with two home runs.
Also, Porcello has “reverse splits” this season, holding lefties to a .125 average (4-for-32) with no walks, 15 strikeouts and a .125 OBP and .281 slugging percentage before Monday. Right-handed batters came in with a .268/.348/.634 line in 48 at-bats against Porcello.
“You feel like that gives you a good chance of scoring some runs,” Gonzalez said of the outfield platoons in left and center. “And then when Inciarte comes back that’s all out the window, then we’ve got to do another (plan).”
Castro could also see more playing time at shortstop, where he made his second consecutive start Monday in place of veteran Manny Aybar, who has struggled mightily in his first season with the Braves.
Aybar, batting a National League-worst .136 with a majors-worst .159 OBP, hasn’t lost his job, Gonzalez just wanted to rest him another day with the Red Sox starting Rick Porcello. Aybar was 5-for-27 against him.
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