With Ramon Laureano removed from yesterday’s game due to issues running to first base appropriately (yes, a thing that happened to the Braves in 2024), Eli White gets the start in center field for Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. This will be White’s fourth start of the year for the team, and his first in center field; he made five starts for the Braves in center last April.
The lineup also has a few other changes, namely that Orlando Arcia is now hitting sixth behind Travis d’Arnaud, after spending all of August thus far hitting fifth. Arcia last hit sixth back on June 8, and has actually hit there a fair bit this season.
The Braves get a bit of a break in terms of the opposition, as Brenton Doyle gets the day off and is replaced by Jake Cave in center. Further, Aaron Schunk, who somehow has -0.5 fWAR in just 38 PAs, is starting at second, with Brendan Rodgers pushed to DH.
Given that Doyle is the Rockies’ most productive player this season, his day off is a boon for Atlanta, though having to face a resurgent Kyle Freeland still isn’t great. Let’s see if they can pull it off.
