MLB Rankings: Baseball’s Greatest Hits of Week-13 (June 23-29)
By Bill Felber
MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits in Week-13
10. Johan Camargo, 41 percent
The Atlanta Braves have seized command of the NL East race with a 20-7 month of June. One key reason has been the power provided by winter acquisition Josh Donaldson, whose 24 June hits included eight home runs, with 16 RBIs following.
But Donaldson’s resurgence has meant less playing time for Johan Camargo, the second year third baseman reduced to a utility role. Camargo is batting just .241 with only a .660 OPS in that part-time duty.
Even bad times, however, carry their occasional rewards. One of Camargo’s occurred Sunday in Washington when the Braves concluded a series with the Nationals.
The game stood tied at 2-2 through the requisite nine innings. In the 10th, Nationals pitcher Tanner Rainey struck out Brian McCann, but then walked Ozzie Albies on a 3-2 pitch. With the pitcher scheduled to bat next, Braves manager Brian Snitker made the logical move, calling on Camargo to keep the inning moving.
Camargo did that and more, driving Rainey’s 2-1 pitch into the seats in right field for a two-run home run. The extra run proved critical in the inning’s bottom half when Braves closer Luke Jackson surrendered a run before retiring the game’s final two batters. The tying and winning runs were on base when he did.