The Braves haven’t settled on a replacement for backup first-base duties since Matt Adams left as a non-tendered free agent, but several options will be considered, including third-base hopeful Rio Ruiz.
This according to manager Brian Snitker, who said Ruiz would get some playing time at first base during spring training, after getting some work at the position at Triple-A Gwinnett last season.
“He played some (first base) at Gwinnett before we called him back up in September, and did a good job,” Snitker said. “There’s a lot of these guys that we always talked (to about versatility) last year, because of the four-man bench and everything that they need to start exploring some other positions, just to make them more valuable. Just options that we’re going to look for because of the fact that we carry eight relievers.”
With an extra (eighth) reliever and a short, four-man bench, versatility is essential for Braves backups. Assuming they don’t acquire a third basemen before opening day and if Ruiz is beaten out for the starting third-base job by Johan Camargo, there are some, albeit not many, scenarios in which Ruiz could make the opening-day roster.
Star first baseman Freddie Freeman will play almost every game as long as he’s healthy, so first-base backup isn’t a priority unless Freeman were to be injured and miss multiple games. That happened last season, when a pitch broke his left wrist and the Braves had to scramble to trade for Matt Adams to fill in.
If a backup was needed only to replace Freeman in one game or a couple of games, the Braves could have utility man Charlie Culberson play the position or move Nick Markakis from right field to first base, or even have catcher Tyler Flowers play a few innings in a pinch.
Assuming they go with a four-man bench as planned, the Braves will fill at least two spots with an extra outfielder and their second catcher. Another bench job is earmarked for Culberson, who came from the Dodgers in the Matt Kemp trade in December. That would leave one bench spot available.
Who gets that could depend in part on whether the Braves make outfield phenom Ronald Acuna their opening-day left fielder or keep Acuna at Triple-A for at least a few weeks to assure contractual control for an extra season before free agency. If Acuna is on the roster, the Braves might have backup outfielders Lane Adams and Preston Tucker round out the roster.
Or, they could start the season with Acuna in Triple-A and have Adams and Tucker split left-field duties initially, with Culberson on the bench along with an extra infielder, either the versatile Camargo or Ruiz.
Most observers believe Camargo is an odds-on favorite to win the third-base job if the current roster remains the same, and if that’s the case Ruiz might have a chance at a bench job at least to start the season if Acuna is at Triple-A.
Ruiz is out of minor-league options and would have to clear waivers before he could be sent to the minors.
If Acuna isn’t on the opening-day roster, it’s likely he would be added sooner rather than later and take over in left field, at which point the Braves might decide to keep both Lane Adams and Tucker on the bench for backup outfield and pinch-hitting duties.
In that scenario, with Culberson and a catcher occupying the other two bench spots, there wouldn’t be room for the odd man out in the third-base battle between Camargo and Ruiz.
