The Braves will of course miss their star Ronald Acuña Jr. for the first month or so of the regular season, However, they still have plenty of guys who can carry the offense when hot, and earlier today The Morning Shift discussed who they think the Braves' offensive anchor needs to be to start the season until Acuña Jr. returns to the lineup.
Mike Johnson believes it could be either Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna, or Austin Riley, but ultimately thinks it will and should be Ozuna because he thinks the Braves’ 2024 home run leader “is just that guy and how shown the ability to be that guy over the last year and a half, year and a half plus”.
On the other hand Beau Morgan believes that Ozuna, Riley, and Olson have stepped up enough, and thinks it’s time for Atlanta’s centerfielder to play to his full potential.
“I need Michael Harris to explode," Morgan said. "I need Michael Harris to be the one that steps up. He’s the guy that can steal bases, those other guys can’t create opportunities on the base paths that you just named, but Michael Harrris can. I need him to step up. I need his power, which we know he has, like I need him to be that guy. I need him to fuel it.”
Michael Harris had career lows in just about every statistical category in 2024. Now, last season Harris, like most Braves players last year, battled injuries and was in and out of the lineup for a period of time. The 2022 rookie of the year did play the fewest games he’s ever played in a season thus far at 110, but he only played in four more games in 2022, so to Beau’s point it is time for Money Mike to step up and take that next step and hit that next gear that everyone knows he has.
However, a big part of Michael hitting that next gear will be reliant upon him staying healthy, just like this Braves season and every teams’ season is very much reliant upon health.
If Michael Harris II can be the Braves’ offensive anchor until Ronald Acuña Jr. comes back, and if the Braves can stay healthy once they get healthy they are without a doubt World Series contenders, but Michael Harris II will play a crucial role in making sure the Braves get their 2025 campaign started off on the right foot.