Vaughn Grissom has enjoyed a red-hot start to his Major League Baseball career. In his first two weeks with the Braves, he is slashing .344/.382/.531 with 10 RBI, 14 runs, and three home runs. Most importantly, the club has won 14 of its 17 games with him in the lineup.
His play at the plate combined with Ozzie Albies' looming return bring up an interesting question: can the Braves simply move the rookie to left field? Braves fans say yes, but Mark Zinno says no way.
For anyone who thinks that Ozzie won't be the starter when he returns, that's just not happening. Zinno warns fans not to "fall prisoner to the moment," and that "Vaughn Grissom has a lot more to prove within the organization."
"Ozzie Albies is not being called back up to be a platoon second baseman or platoon DH," Zinno proclaimed on Sunday afternoon. "He's being called up to be the everyday second baseman and starter!"
The next thought immediately goes to where he could play if, and when, Albies usurps him at second base. The first thought for many is left field, a position that has been up and down for the Braves in 2022. Eddie Rosario has largely struggled this season, but Robbie Grossman has played well enough since being acquired at the deadline. Neither have played at the level of Grissom, so could this be a solution?
Zinno told listeners, "You're not going to put him in left field in the middle of a pennant race where he's never played the position before! This isn't the Little League World Series, this isn't your fantasy baseball team. That is not an option!"
On the other hand, the bat has been good enough to potential warrant such a move and the team has made moves like this in the past. When Austin Riley was making his major league debut in 2019, he played out of position in left field out of necessity.
Could the Braves do that again with Grissom? This will be an interesting story to keep an eye on as the team hits the final stretch of the season in the buildup to the playoffs.
