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ATLANTA – Jorge Soler isn’t dynamic enough to make comparisons with Ronald Acuña Jr. But the powerful outfielder was certainly talented enough to help fill the void created by Acuña’s knee injury that ended the season .
Soler has spent the past five weeks enjoying a build-up that rivals that which led him to a 48-homer season for the Royals in 2019. But he has also shown the talent to deliver the opportune blow, as he did it with a single key. in the fifth of five points that led the Braves to a 6-2 victory over the Marlins on Friday night at Truist Park.
In the process, Soler rewarded the Braves for not using him primarily as a right-handed hitter since he was acquired from the Royals at the trade deadline.
“We talked to the guys from Kansas City and they were the ones who were like, ‘He swings the bat pretty well, you should probably bring him in. [the lineup]Said manager Brian Snitker. “I’m really glad we did. He had some huge hits and some really good hitters.
Soler’s two-out single scored three points when he rolled under the glove of Marlins center fielder Bryan De La Cruz. De La Cruz’s mistake was one of two errors in the set that doomed the Marlins and propelled the Braves to a win that put them 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-placed Phillies with 22 games remaining.
Atlanta’s attempt to win a fourth straight NL East crown was significantly bolstered by the July 30 trade deadline, when the Braves acquired Soler from the Royals, Adam Duvall from the Marlins and Eddie Rosario from the Indians. Two weeks earlier, they had begun their reconstruction on the field by acquiring Joc Pederson from the Cubs.
Pederson became a clubhouse leader and delivered a single against the Nationals on Thursday. Rosario has brought some value since coming off the injured list and Duvall has scored 12 of his 37 games for the Braves. But from an offensive perspective, the most valuable addition to the outfield has been Soler.
“It was a great experience,” Soler said through an interpreter. “It’s great to join a team that wins like that. For me it was a great experience.
Soler beats .285 with 10 home runs and a .914 OPS in 36 games for the Braves. He had reached .192 with 13 home runs and a .658 OPS in the 94 games he played for the Royals before the trade.
When the Braves acquired Soler in exchange for Minor League relief pitcher Kasey Kalich, they knew they were taking a risk on him defensively as the 29-year-old hitter had primarily been used as a designated hitter for the last few years at Kansas. City. But, while Soler didn’t look like a Gold Glove contender, he wasn’t a handicap for Atlanta in right field.
The Braves also tried their luck by placing Soler in second place in the roster. Placing Soler ahead of reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman, they allowed him to see a slightly higher percentage of fastballs (49.7% vs. 47.6%) than he did this year for the Royals.
“I think it was a great experience to be able to hit in front of Freddie,” Soler said. “Hitting in front of a guy like that, I think pitchers have to throw more shots at me in the zone. I was just looking for good shots to drive and I was really focused on waiting for those good shots in the zone.
While the percentage hasn’t been significantly different, pitchers certainly have to attack him more carefully than they have as he’s spent the first four months of this season with the Royals. He responded productively. His base percentage of .373 for the Braves easily outweighed the OBP of .288 he had for Kansas City.
Soler’s pre-trade walk rate (10.6%) was slightly lower than its post-trade walk rate (12.6%). More impressive is the fact that its pre-trade write-off rate (26.9%) was significantly higher than its post-trade write-off rate (19.4%).
“If that was me, I would knock in front of Freddie,” Snitker said. “Corn [Soler] does not extend the area and he takes his walks. I was impressed with it at his place. He is selective. He’s patient and he’s on the attack and ready to do some damage.
Travis d’Arnaud doubled up to start the decisive fifth and Ehire Adrianza fueled the round with an RBI single that chased the National League’s top Rookie of the Year contender, Trevor Rogers, who allowed four runs, a peak of the season, in just 4 1/3 innings. Right-handed reliever Zach Thompson struck out Ozzie Albies at bat before allowing Soler to send his simple green light through midfield and centerfield.
Soler’s single supported an encouraging effort from Ian Anderson, who tied a career-high with nine strikeouts while allowing just two runs in five innings. Anderson had not recorded any strikeouts in his previous two starts after spending seven weeks on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder.
“[Soler] was awesome, ”Anderson added. “You get that vibe again that we’re going to get the big bang or we’re going to make the big play. He’s definitely played a big part in bringing that back.
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