Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss shared the reasoning behind an Ozzie Albies lineup decision.
It is no secret that Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies has struggled over the second half of the season. Albies looked like he had turned things around at the plate during the first half, even earning an All-Star selection in the process. However his numbers have fallen off a lot since then.
The 29-year-old switch hitter has hit just .205 with a .264 on-base percentage and .611 OPS since the All-Star break, simply not making contact the way he used to. Atlanta's offense has been inconsistent recently and Albies' drop-off has been a big reason why. Ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs, manager Walt Weiss made the tough decision to drop Albies to eighth in the batting order, the lowest he has hit all year.
"I think sometimes change the scenery in the lineup for guys who are struggling, it takes a little heat off them when they're not in the middle of it all," Weiss said when asked by Jesus Cano of The Athletic why he moved Albies down to eighth.
Albies responded in a big way. He had a strong day at the plate, going two for four and scoring twice. His biggest moment came in the top of the seventh inning when he launched a go-ahead two-run home run that gave the Braves a 4-3 lead they would never relinquish.
Weiss' comments immediately came to fruition, as hitting at the bottom of the order rather than cleanup clearly relieved some of the pressure on Albies and allowed him to be more comfortable in the box.
If he can carry this performance into October it will be huge for a Braves team that is going to need all the offense they can get. Atlanta's pitching staff has suffered plenty of injuries this season, making it unclear how well they will limit runs in the postseason. What they can control is how productive their lineup is, and Albies being right is a meaningful piece of that.
Even with his second-half struggles, the Braves will still likely pick up Albies' final team option this offseason given it is only $7 million, a cheap price for a player with his ceiling.
Next year could potentially be his last in Atlanta if he chooses to test the free agent market, but for now his focus is on helping this team win. The Braves will take on the Cubs in a series finale Wednesday as Atlanta inches closer to clinching the National League East division title.
