The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
» Braves notes,
Ronald Acuna is off to an Mvplevel start, and Freddie Freeman is beginning to round into form after homering in three consecutive games. Others on the offense, however, haven’t hit their stride.
Marcell Ozuna, who flirted with the Triple Crown last season, has slumped: 4-for-32 with 13 strikeouts and no extra-base hits through nine games. Ozzie Albies has looked better lately, recording a hit in five consecutive games and homering Sunday against Phillies southpaw Matt Moore, but he’s hitting .139 overall.
“When we face a left-hander, I don’t think there’s a better hitter — he’s as good a hitter there is against a left-handed pitcher,” manager Brian Snitker said of Albies. “It’s been better recently, that’s for sure. Where we are, we’re not hitting on all cylinders with our offense yet and we’re hanging right in there. Playing all these consecutive games is good. Once we get going, we have a pretty good chance of getting this thing off the ground.”
Dansby Swanson has had productive at-bats in recent days but he was 6-for-32 (.188) with 14 strikeouts in nine games through Sunday. Austin Riley is 6-for-29 without an extra-base hit. Catcher Travis d’arnaud is also below his expected averages with a .267/.313/.433 line.
Despite the under-achievement, the Braves have stayed afloat. Acuna, Freeman and pinch-hitting heroics won’t carry the offense forever, but the Braves know they won’t need to. Eventually, the bats will start clicking. “As long as we can stay above water a little here until all that happens, I think that’s a good thing,” Snitker said. Notes from Monday:
■ The Braves are moving past Sunday’s game, when they lost to the Phillies on a botched review call. “That was yesterday,” Snitker said before Monday night’s game against Miami. “We’re going to go out today, concentrate on the Marlins and try to get something going again . ... Every day is a new day. You can’t control anything that happened yesterday or tomorrow. The only thing you have control over is today. You have to stay in that now mentality so you don’t drive yourself crazy.”
■ That said, Snitker said he endorses the common thought that it’d be better if the replay crew in New York didn’t know the initial call on the field when performing a review. “Maybe we just send it there, is it out or safe? Fair or foul?” Snitker said.
■ Catcher Alex Jackson started Monday and will also start Thursday’s day game, opportunities for him to log some at-bats. Despite his struggles making consistent contact, Jackson’s power potential creates intrigue around his offensive ability. The team already sees him as a sound defender.
■ RHP Huascar Ynoa was pitching for the Braves on Monday vs. Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins. The rest of the match-ups for the series at Truist Park: today, Max Fried vs. Pablo Lopez; Wednesday: Charlie Morton vs. Nick Neidert; Thursday: Ian Anderson vs. Trevor Rogers.