The Braves have restored the quarterback Orlando Arcia from the injured list for 10 days, according to the team’s announcement. In a corresponding move, the club opted for a shortcut Vaughn Grissom to Triple-A. Arcia went out with a micro crack on his left wrist since mid-April.
The move comes as a surprise, as Arcia will be returning to the club without a rehabilitation mission after reportedly starting dry changes just a few days ago. Arcia had opened the season as a regular short-term substitute for the club before he was injured and had a good start with a .333/.400/.511 slash with a . 149 wRC+ in 13 games. That enticing start has earned him a contract extension that will keep the 28-year-old under the team’s control throughout the 2026 season.
Given his success this season prior to his injury, it seems reasonable to expect Arcia to once again win the majority of short-distance competition. Potential Braden Shewmake was promoted recently and was given a short start, but with Arcia back on the list, it looks like she’ll take on the role of field utility behind Arcia, the second player. Ozzie Albies and the third sentry Austin Riley. The 25-year-old Shewmake is yet to score a first hit in the major leagues, but has seen power skyrocket earlier this season in the minor leagues, as his five home runs have only in 110 appearances is close to the seven he scored last year. in 307 plate occurrences. However, his overall Triple-A slash of 0.255/.307/.415 makes him the preferred choice for glove use in major tournaments who don’t want to hit a lot.
With Arcia returning and Shewmake taking over the field utility role, Grissom, 22, is transferred to Triple-A as the oddball. Grissom made his major league debut last season, filling in Albies in second and impressing in 41 games with a slash of 0.291/.353/.440, which is good for wRC+ being 121. While his 21.8% hit rate and high 0.350 BABIP have plenty to worry about, the biggest question mark surrounding Grissom is his defense, which he’s spent the whole season on. prizes to try to improve with an in-house coach Ron Washington.
Unfortunately for both Grissom and the Braves, the youngster’s start to the season was a disaster. Grissom has taken a significant step back on disc, with a slash of just 0.277/.314/.308 in 70 appearances on disc, putting him 29% below the league average as measured by wRC+ . Meanwhile, his defense is a major concern, with six errors in 18 starts at the stop and defensive stats that keep him relevant for ranking across the board. In particular, Grissom’s -4 Outs Above Average puts him in only the third percentile among MLB players and makes him the third-worst defensive stop in the pro leagues. , just standing in front Enrique Hernandez by the Red Sox and CJ Abrams of the Nation. Given Grissom’s apparent difficulties, it seems reasonable to expect him to work at Triple-A level for the foreseeable future, unless another injury around the pitch forces the club to make a move.
