Now that the 2024 season is over for the Atlanta Braves it’s time to start thinking about how the Braves can get better this offseason. Now, the Braves have a lot of good players that are signed to long term deals, so while they don’t have too much roster building to do there are still some areas where the Braves can improve, and earlier today The Morning Shift talked about what one of the areas are.
“I think shortstop has to be looked at, love what [Orlando] Arcia has done in these two years, but I think there’s an upgrade possible there." Mike Johnson said.
Beau Morgan responds to Mike’s statement by talking about how former Atlanta Braves’ shortstop Dansby Swanson gave the Braves elite defense, some power hitting, and speed, but Arcia just gives the Braves elite defense and inconsistent power hitting. Beau then talks about how he wouldn’t mind bringing in a player who maybe isn’t as good on defense as Orlando is, but has more upside on offense.
“I would give up that for not elite, but good defense and a great on-base percentage.” Beau goes on to say that he wants a shortstop here that will “get on base consistently without taking two steps back on the defensive end.”
Beau finishes his thought by talking about how he wouldn’t mind seeing Arcia be the Braves’ backup shortstop, and that he thinks Nacho Alvarez who spent very little time with the big league club this year “isn’t ready yet”.
Arcia, who had a career year in 2023, didn’t follow it up with a very good 2024 campaign. Arcia finished the season with a .218 batting average, a .271 on-base percentage, a .354 slugging percentage, a .625 OPS, and Orlando finished the 2024 season with a .155 batting average with runners in scoring position.
If the Braves want to get back to producing runs the way they were in 2023 either Orlando Arcia has to swing the bat better, or the Braves will have to find a new starting shortstop.