Atlanta Braves Best Lineup Options Once Fully Healthy
The Atlanta Braves are inching towards being fully healthy for the first time all year, which will create some interesting lineup decisions for Brian Snitker.
It's wild to think how good of a start the Atlanta Braves have had this season with all of the talent that has been on the injured list.
Teams will have injuries throughout the year, and the Braves tend to take more of a cautious approach with players at the beginning of a season to hopefully avoid nagging and long-term issues, but it's hard to remember a time when the Braves have had so many key pieces missing to each part of the team.
The starting rotation has missed significant time this year from Max Fried and Kyle Wright, while the bullpen has been without its closer, Raisel Iglesias, all season.
Michael Harris II and Travis d'Arnaud have combined to play in just 15 games this year. TDA was the team's best hitter when he went down.
And let's not forget about the fact they lost Orlando Arcia who was on fire to begin the season -- both in the field and at the plate.
Those are key losses to your rotation, bullpen, and lineup that many teams wouldn't be able to overcome.
But the Braves have weathered the storm and are close to getting through on the other side, which will lead to some interesting roster decisions and lineup construction.
The roster decisions will work themselves out, so let's focus on the optimal lineup when fully healthy.
Braves Best Healthy Lineup vs. Right-handed Pitchers
1. Ronald Acuna Jr. - CF
2. Matt Olson - 1B
3. Austin Riley - 3B
4. Sean Murphy - C
5. Michael Harris II - CF
6. Ozzie Albies - 2B
7. Eddie Rosario - DH
8. Orlando Arcia - SS
9. Sam Hilliard - LF
As discussed here, Acuna is the most deadly player in baseball and will forever remain in the leadoff spot as long as that's the case.
Harris was off to a slow start, and if that were to continue once he returns, an argument could be made to bat him ninth where he had so much success last year and you put a second leadoff man ahead of Acuna.
Hilliard's defense alone is deserving of him getting the everyday reps in left field once MH2 returns.
While Grissom has been solid with the bat, you have to go with the defense of Arcia and hope that he continues to hit the way he did early in the season.
Braves Best Healthy Lineup vs. Left-handed Pitchers
1. Ronald Acuna Jr. - RF
2. Matt Olson - 1B
3. Austin Riley -3B
4. Sean Murphy - C
5. Ozzie Albies - 2B
6. Travis d'Arnaud - DH
7. Orlando Arcia - SS
8. Kevin Pillar - LF
9. Michael Harris - CF
Things get a little interesting against a lefty. Matt Olson has been awful against lefties to start this season and could be moved down, but there really isn't an ideal replacement for him there except Albies.
Moving Harris to the nine-spot against lefties - who he has struggled against - brings some of the benefits mentioned above.
Pillar isn't the ideal right-handed platoon bat, but he will give you solid defense and is 6-22 against lefties so far this season.
There are only two true lefties in this lineup, which should give the Braves a huge advantage in those matchups.
Both of these lineups are very deep and capable of being one of the best in baseball. Hopefully we get to see it at full strength in the next couple of weeks.
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