Atlanta Braves Announce Lineup Changes Ahead of Pirates Series

The Atlanta Braves entered Friday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates with the best record in baseball. Even so, manager Walt Weiss' lineup card featured a couple of notable adjustments.

Michael Harris II returned to the second spot in the batting order Friday, while Mauricio Dubón received another start at shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim remained out of the lineup as his struggles continued.

At first glance, neither move seems particularly dramatic for a club sitting at 42-21. Looking closer, both decisions appear tied to recent performance rather than long-term changes.

Through 60 games so far, Harris is batting .301 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI. Weiss has frequently moved Harris around the lineup, including dropping him into the middle of the order during Thursday's loss. Now he returns to his spot behind Ronald Acuña Jr., creating a tougher challenge for opposing pitchers at the top of the order.

Friday's matchup against Pirates starter Mitch Keller may have provided another reason for the adjustment. Several Braves hitters have enjoyed success against Keller throughout their careers.

While Harris' numbers against the right-hander are more modest than some of Atlanta's other stars, moving him directly behind Acuña gives the Braves another opportunity to capitalize on a matchup where much of the lineup has historically been comfortable.

The shortstop decision may be easier to explain. Kim's struggles have become difficult for Atlanta to ignore. He enters Friday hitting .102 across 49 at-bats, also currently hitless in 11 career at-bats against Keller.

Meanwhile, Dubón has quietly strengthened his case for more playing time. Beyond his recent offensive surge, he has also produced against Keller in previous meetings. His .400 average and .955 OPS in 10 career at-bats against the Pirates starter clearly eased the decision for Weiss.

The ripple effect of that decision extends beyond shortstop. With Dubón in the infield, the Braves were able to keep Mike Yastrzemski in left field and Dominic Smith at designated hitter, creating one of Atlanta's strongest offensive configurations against Keller.

It's important to note that these changes don't seem to be permanent, at least at face value. Weiss simply looks to be capitalizing on favorable matchups as the Braves continue their push to remain at the top of the National League. 

That's not to say the moves can't stick. While Harris can probably get comfortable back in the two-hole, Dubón has a golden opportunity to capitalize on Kim's poor run and become a mainstay at short.