How will Acuña's return affect Braves' 2025 lineup?

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ATLANTA — Earlier than persevering with to emphasize how a lot the Braves want so as to add not less than another outfielder, let’s check out how their lineup might look with and with out Ronald Acuña Jr., who will probably miss not less than six weeks whereas recovering from knee surgical procedure.

Potential Opening Day lineup:CF: Michael Harris II3B: Austin RileyDH: Marcell Ozuna1B: Matt Olson2B: Ozzie AlbiesC: Sean MurphyLF: Jarred KelenicRF: Bryan De La CruzSS: Orlando Arcia

Albies might bat leadoff in opposition to left-handed starters. And also you may recommend altering the order of the primary six members of this lineup. However the lack of lineup depth turns into apparent while you have a look at the ultimate three members of this lineup and understand you’d wish to bat every of them ninth, or tenth, if you happen to might.

As soon as Acuña returns, the lineup would clearly lengthen. Right here’s a attainable lineup in opposition to right-handed beginning pitchers:

RF: Acuña Jr.CF: Harris II3B: RileyDH: Ozuna1B: Olson2B: AlbiesC: MurphyLF: KelenicSS: Arcia

You need to hold Riley within the two gap and transfer Harris down? That may be a stable debate. As would any ideas that Ozuna wants to remain throughout the first three spots. You don’t like Olson all the best way down within the fifth spot? You need Albies larger?

As you ask all of those questions, you might be simply affirming how vital the Acuña addition will probably be. If Murphy rebounds in 2025, this has the potential to be an extended lineup. Arcia has hit 17 homers each of the previous two seasons. Having that energy potential within the ninth spot would offer worth.

There’s little doubt the Braves may gain advantage from the addition of an outfielder. However understanding that Acuña will probably be again by June, might they get away with utilizing Kelenic, De La Cruz and presumably one different backup outfielder sort for a pair months?

What sort of manufacturing ought to be anticipated from Acuña, who will now be taking part in with a surgically-repaired anterior cruciate ligament in each knees? He regained his footing in 2022 after which flourished once more in his 2023 MVP season. Will he want one other 12 months to get proper? Does this uncertainty strengthen the argument so as to add one other outfielder?

Even if you happen to’re snug with the manufacturing Acuña might present subsequent 12 months, are you snug with utilizing a Kelenic/De La Cruz platoon in left area for the season’s ultimate 4 months? If not, you might be strengthening the necessity to add one other outfielder.

With that being mentioned, a wholesome Braves lineup will embody loads of star energy even with out the addition of one other outfielder. So, if it makes extra sense to make use of accessible assets so as to add a beginning pitcher, then including an outfielder simply so as to add an outfielder probably wouldn’t make sense.

There’s concern about how the lineup may carry out, particularly whereas Acuña stays sidelined. However there are additionally loads of considerations in regards to the rotation. How will Spencer Strider carry out after he misses the season’s first month whereas recovering from elbow surgical procedure? How sturdy will Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach be after every exceeded sturdiness expectations this 12 months?

So, whereas there may not be only one resolution, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos nonetheless has some massive inquiries to sort out this winter.

Whereas speaking about the potential of shedding Draft place if the Braves have been to exceed the posh tax threshold for a 3rd straight 12 months, Anthopoulos mentioned, “All of it comes again to the Main League group. If you may make your massive league group higher, particularly within the place we’re in, the place we’ve an opportunity to win at this second in time with this core, that’s at all times going to be the precedence.”

Although he wasn’t particularly speaking in regards to the commerce market, it is a mindset that ought to please the Braves followers who’ve been wanting ahead to having lots of the group’s stars collectively all through a majority of this decade.

It’s by no means straightforward to commerce prime prospects. However because the Braves progress by way of the prime of their win-now years, now may be the time to make a type of massive trades that could possibly be initially painful and eternally worthwhile.