Braves Rumors: Brewers trade targets, Ozzie Albies panic meter, Dansby Swanson
By Mark Powell
Braves Rumors: What is wrong with Ozzie Albies?
There’s been a noticeable dropoff in Ozzie Albies this season, and while he’s surely aware of that, how much should the team panic at this juncture?
Sure, it’s early in the year, but Albies is an important part of the Braves lineup when healthy. So far this season, his batting average is 30 points lower than his usual mark, and he’s playing to a 2.67 WAR pace. In past seasons, Albies has been nearly a full run more valuable.
Albies has seen a rather significant drop in his defensive runs saved since the 2020 season. He had 9 DRS in 2019 and 13 in 2018. Since then, he’s been fluctuating between -1 and 1 DRS, and this year has been of a similar variety.
The most telling statistic anomaly has been Albies slash line and OPS. This season Albies is hitting .251/.294/.465, far below his averages, with an OPS+ of 102. That’s a four percent decrease in production from last year.
Much of the concern with Albies has to do with his splits against right-handed pitching. Against lefties, Albies is an incredible hitter, with .424/.433/.773 averages. Against righties, though, the script is flipped, as Albies hits just 175/.238/.329. That’s a rather huge disparity, and speaks more to someone who is a platoon player rather than an everyday second baseman.
Albies is obviously better than that, and the Braves need him to play like it by the time late summer rolls around.