The Atlanta Braves dropped a 9-5 decision to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night and now turn their attention to a Wednesday afternoon finale in a short two-game set.
Manager Walt Weiss shuffled his lineup ahead of the midday game, with one of the more noticeable moves involving versatile infielder and outfielder Mauricio Dubon.
Dubon started at second base Tuesday and went 0-for-4. He will sit out the series closer as the club looks to give him a breather.
The rest comes just before Atlanta heads into a four-game weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies that carries extra weight in the division race.
Ozzie Albies shifts back to second base after serving as the designated hitter. The outfield alignment lists Mike Yastrzemski in left, Michael Harris II in center and Ronald Acuña Jr. in right.
The announced batting order, as posted by Underdog MLB, reads: “Braves 9/2 D. Baldwin DH R. Acuña Jr. RF M. Olson 1B O. Albies 2B M. Harris II CF S. Murphy C M. Yastrzemski LF A. Riley 3B H. Kim SS G. Holmes SP.”
Grant Holmes is slated to start on the mound for Atlanta in the series wrap-up.
Dubon, 32, is in his eighth major league season and his first with the Braves. He has carved out a useful role as a player who can fill multiple spots.
He has appeared in 132 games this year, batting .266 with 58 runs scored, 131 hits, 10 home runs and 64 RBIs. His slugging percentage sits at .383 with a .694 OPS.
Those numbers reflect a player who has stayed productive even when the lineup around him has dealt with the usual midseason mix of rest days and matchups.
Atlanta entered Wednesday at 82-57. The Braves still hold a 3-game lead over the Phillies in the National League East.
If the regular season ended today, Atlanta would occupy the No. 3 seed in the NL playoff picture. That placement would send the club into a best-of-three Wild Card series with all three games at home.
Weiss and his staff have mixed and matched throughout the year, using Dubon’s flexibility to cover second base, the outfield and other spots as needed.
Giving him a day off after an 0-for-4 night is a standard late-season move as the schedule tightens and the Phillies series looms.
The Braves will look to bounce back Wednesday and carry any momentum into the weekend games that could further shape the division standings.
Fans at Truist Park and those following from afar will watch to see how the revised lineup performs against Washington before the focus fully shifts to Philadelphia.
