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PHOENIX – As the Braves try to win a fourth straight National Eastern League title, it looks like they could spend the remainder of the season taking their first spot with Jorge Soler, who represented one of the three home runs scored in a 6-1 win over the D-backs on Tuesday night at Chase Field.
“I like Soler there,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I thought he might want to test me after watching the lineup.”
While Soler’s experience as a head hitter consisted of a game he played for the Cubs on May 2, 2015, he appears to be the current Braves player best suited for the role. The early results have been encouraging as Atlanta is 2-0 with the heavy hitter at the peak of their roster.
Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies hit two-run homers before Soler hit his solo homer in the fifth inning in that latest win in Atlanta. Riley’s first-inning explosion ensured his first 30-home season and guided the Braves to a win that kept them three games ahead of the second-placed Phillies with 13 games to go. Their magic number is 10 to win a fourth consecutive division crown.
“Yeah, I saw the Phillies sneak in there tonight,” Riley said. “We’re just going to go out and go about business tomorrow.”
The Braves have enjoyed success, even though they haven’t had a legitimate first hitter since Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury on July 10. Joc Pederson didn’t hit hard enough when he held the role for a few weeks in July and August. As for Albies, he’s a free trader whose career 0.766 OPS as a head hitter proves he seems limited at the top of the order.
Albies’s 0.282 base percentage as the first hitter this year was sub-optimal. But he’s second in the National League with 70 more hits and entered Tuesday with an OPS of .985 with runners in scoring position. So while his physical stature may be more like that of a top hitter, his play seems to fit him better in the middle of the roster.
“It was kind of like we need to better maximize Ozzie and I love that he hits [third]”Snitker said.
Albies moved up to third place on Monday, when Snitker made the off the beaten track decision to move Soler to first place.
With the need to move Albies around, Snitker bet on Soler continuing to be both dangerous and patient at the plate. The Cuban slugger had produced a base percentage of 0.360 and a slugging percentage of 0.515 in 43 games with the Braves entering on Monday.
“The thing about Soler that’s been so impressive is that he’s going for a walk,” Snitker said. “He doesn’t come out of the strike zone much. He’s had some really good drummers and what I’m looking at is no longer a small sample.
Two seasons off his 48 homers for Kansas City, Soler has scored 11 homers in 45 games played since acquiring the Royals. He had hit 13 home runs in 94 games before the trade. But the most telling change is his improved plate discipline.
Soler had a 26.9% strikeout rate and a 10.6% walk rate with the Royals. Since joining the Braves, he’s had an 18.8% strikeout rate and an 11.2% walk rate.
“It’s not a prototype or the way you would build it, but I think a lot is changing in the game,” Snitker said.
Soler had been second at bat, which allowed him to strike directly in front of Freddie Freeman. He’s still reaping those benefits as Freeman is now second at bat, a place he’s had great success.
The reigning NL MVP entered on Tuesday after reaching .320 with a .973 OPS in 488 home plate appearances in second place in the lineup.
Along with Soler and Freeman, the Braves have two of the best powerful hitters in the game sitting atop their roster. The duo can offer an instant attack via the home run or serve as table dressers for Albies and Riley, who now occupy third and fourth places respectively.
“It rocked a bit and two wins,” Riley said. “So let’s go with this.”
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