The question as to where in the 2026 Atlanta Braves batting order outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. will hit can come to an end. Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters this morning that Acuña, Jr. will reclaim his spot at the top of the order, batting lead-off for the team this season.
Despite some questionable line-up constructions with Acuña, Jr. last season – him batting seventh was a thing that happened – it was reasonable to have expected him to return to the top of the order, the question was whether or not that would be in the lead-off spot or batting second.
Well, Acuña, Jr., he of the first 40 home runs, 70 stolen base season in MLB history will return to the spot where he has started 676 games during his career – at the top of the line-up. (His next highest batting order location is hitting third, which he’s done 46 times, by the way.)
As for who will bat second, that is still an open question according to the new Braves’ skipper, with Weiss noting that both catcher Drake Baldwin and first baseman Matt Olson hit left-handed pitching well enough that he could hit them back-to-back. Outfielder/designated hitter Jurickson Profar is likely another option, specially given his ability to switch-hit and get on base.
Now, for the next five weeks, it is just matter of everyone staying healthy so that the offense hopefully get off to a hot start when the Braves start their regular season at home against the Kansas City Royals.