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3 Braves who won’t make the Opening Day roster after Ronald Acuña Jr. injury update

The Braves expecting Ronald Acuña Jr. to be ready for Opening Day means these three players might not make the Opening Day roster now.

By Zachary Rotman

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. makes a sign for a video drone following players as the
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. makes a sign for a video drone following players as the / Mike Lang / USA TODAY NETWORK
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2. Jordan Luplow's chances of making the Braves Opening Day roster took a hit

The Braves made several interesting minor league signings this offseason. Ken Giles has gotten the most publicity of the bunch, but Jordan Luplow has a chance of being an impactful piece if called upon in the 2024 season.

The 30-year-old has seven years of MLB experience and has seen time with seven different teams. It might not be the best sign that he's bounced around so much, but Luplow has continued to see opportunities because he excels at one thing in particular. Hitting left-handed pitching.

Luplow has an impressive .833 OPS against left-handed pitching in his career. For reference, an .833 OPS is higher than marks players like Jose Ramirez, Marcus Semien, and Pete Alonso from last season. Quite impressive.

With left-handed hitters Jarred Kelenic and Michael Harris II taking two of the three outfield spots, Luplow could've seen a look as a potential platoon option, particularly with Kelenic in left field or Forrest Wall had he been a starter in Acuña's absence. Luplow can still make the team hypothetically, but the fact that he's off of the 40-man roster puts him at a clear disadvantage.

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