Thanks to a rainout on Sunday, it has been a couple days since we have had Atlanta Braves games to watch. That may be a bit of a blessing given how poorly the Braves have played to start the season, but it is time to get off the mat and try and get on track with a pivotal three game series against the Phillies coming up.
While the Braves have been off the last two days, that doesn’t necessarily mean that things have been completely quiet when it comes to baseball in Atlanta.
Braves News: Atlanta’s brutal start has seen them plummet in MLB power rankings
It is hardly surprising that people are lower on the Braves than they were to start the season. Going 1-8 has a tendency to take the wind out of fans and invite a healthy amount of skepticism. However, it still is pretty jarring to put numbers on that drop in optimism.
Recently, The Athletic released their MLB power rankings where Atlanta normally features pretty prominently. However, the combination of most of the team playing poorly and the injury to Reynaldo Lopez (more on that in a bit), the Braves fell out of their top 5 all the way to 10th in their rankings. If the Braves can’t get on track soon, their drop won’t end there.
Braves News: Reynaldo Lopez to have arthroscopic shoulder surgery on Tuesday
The last thing the Braves needed to start the season was another injury to a top player, but their wish was not granted as Reynaldo Lopez went on the injured list with shoulder troubles. Unfortunately, the bad news when it comes to Lopez did not end there.
After getting examined by doctors, it was decided that Lopez needed arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder and that surgery will happen on Tuesday. Once that surgery happens and the results come out, we will get a better sense of how long he will be out. However, the likelihood he returns in the first half seems very small and there is a decent chance he won’t return in 2025 at all.
Braves News: Nick Allen turning his career around thanks to….his goggles?
When the Braves traded for Nick Allen last November, it didn’t get a lot of attention. While the idea of having backup plans at shortstop with Orlando Arcia’s struggles was nice, Allen seemed more like a light-hitting bench piece than an everyday option for the Braves. However, Allen’s stock is on the rise thanks to one simple change.
As it turns out, Allen’s eyesight has given him problems the last few years thanks to an astigmatism. With the Braves, he is now wearing goggles that have improved his vision and allowed him to make more consistent contact at the plate. There is no guarantee he will instantly become a star whatsoever, but the change has already resulted in him stealing playing time away from Orlando Arcia.
