The Atlanta Braves will be without Ozzie Albies for a significant amount of time and these three players could best fill the void in his absence.
A fractured foot will keep Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies out of action for at least 60 days. The timetable for when he might return to the lineup is unknown at this time. For the surging Braves, it’s important they don’t rest with just any replacement for him.
Atlanta has turned things completely around after a cold start to the year. They can see the New York Mets at the top of the National League East. Making sure they add some talent to the lineup in place of Albies while he is out is essential.
Who will it be? From the majors to the minors, these three have a chance to make Albies’ absence far more minimal.
1) The simplest Ozzie Albies replacement for the Braves is Orlando Arcia
An April trade last year brought Orlando Arcia from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Braves. Arcia had become expendable for the Brewers and a .091 batting average to begin the year convinced them enough was enough.
He didn’t hit particularly well for the Braves in 2021. In 78 trips to the plate, he batted just .214/.282/.343. Maybe the gamble on him wasn’t worth it.
However, through 61 plate appearances in 2021, Arcia looks like a new man. He has slashed .327/.393/.519 while giving the team innings at third base, in left field, and at second base.
If Arcia can continue to hit well, he’s the easy answer to help replace Albies. We definitely shouldn’t expect him to continue at this pace. However, even just respectable numbers like the ones he had in 2020—a .260/.317/.416 slash line with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 189 plate appearances—might be enough to help in the absence of one of the most important members of the Braves roster.