Atlanta Braves biggest surprises: Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr.
Two of the biggest surprises for the Atlanta Braves so far have been Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. These two have great chemistry. They act as if they are brothers.
Albies got off to an explosive start to the season. Despite slowing down recently, Albies still has 15 HRs on the season. Albies’ early-season power has shocked almost everyone, considering he only hit 16 HRs across his four years in the minor leagues.
Prior to getting injured, Acuna showed glimpses of his superstar potential. Thank goodness his injury wasn’t as bad as it looked on video, and he was able to walk off the field under his own power. The timetable for his return in 2018 is unknown, but initial results show there is no long-term damage to Acuna’s knee and back — insert deep sigh of relief.
Between Acuna and Albies, the Braves have a young duo that fans can enjoy for years.
Atlanta Braves biggest surprises: Ender Inciarte
Another one of the Braves’ biggest surprises is Ender Inciarte. Inciarte has disappointed so far this season. He’s hitting .240, down from .304 last season. On the other hand, Inciarte has shocked many by stealing 18 bases so far – good for a tie with Trea Turner for the National League lead. The good news is, he will likely heat up at the plate eventually, especially given his unusually low .267 BABIP.
Next: Will the Braves still be playing into October?
Will the Atlanta Braves be able to ride their big surprises into the 2018 MLB postseason? Or, will they have to make a deal or two before the MLB trade deadline to counter the disappointing ones?
Time will tell, but 2018 has been a surprise, but a welcome one for their fanbase, who are eager for their squad to return to some meaningful October baseball!