The Braves are turning to Jim Jarvis at shortstop, and it’s a move that would have sounded almost impossible 11 months ago.
Back then, Atlanta was supposed to be a seller at the trade deadline, but instead the club mostly held steady. The one notable swap sent Rafael Montero away and brought Tyler Kinley in from the Rockies.
Montero was likely headed for a DFA anyway, so getting anything back for him was a surprise. That return turned out to be Jarvis, a shortstop who barely registered at the time.
He was 24 and struggling to hit at Double-A, hardly the kind of player who usually changes a team’s plans. But once he got into the Braves organization, his bat started to come around. This season, he’s put together a strong run at Gwinnett, hitting .313 with an on-base percentage over .400 and an .868 OPS in 76 games for the Stripers.
That production earned him another shot, and this one looks very different from his earlier MLB debut. The first call-up felt temporary, a bridge until the roster got healthier.
This promotion carries a much bigger load. Atlanta is counting on Jarvis to hold down shortstop, at least until Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from injury and Mauricio Dubon can move back into the infield.
No one inside or outside the organization would have predicted that role for Jarvis when the Braves picked him up for a reliever who posted a 5.50 ERA over 36 appearances last season.
And the timing matters because the Braves have gotten almost nothing from shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim has struggled badly, managing just five hits in 73 at-bats while effectively costing the organization $20 million.
With a hit last night, Jarvis now has as many major-league hits as Kim since May 22nd. Jorge Mateo hasn’t offered much relief either, batting .121 with a .323 OPS since the start of June.
Will Jarvis solve it? That’s the question now. For the Braves, the answer can’t come soon enough.
In Other News...
Braves Just Made Another Telling Move As Offensive Frustration Grows
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McCutchens arrival came alongside a separate roster shuffle that also brought INF Jim Jarvis back into the picture and sent INF Rowdy Tellez off the active roster. It is the kind of transaction that says plenty about where the Braves are right now: still looking for answers, still testing options, and still trying to find a combination that can ease the frustration building around the offense. [Read more 🡒]
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Braves Bullpen Shakeup Raises Another Big Question About Late Innings
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The moves came with a cost, as Ian Hamilton was designated for assignment after a rough run of recent outings, and this is his second such move of the season. Atlanta also had to clear another roster spot for Molina, a reminder that every bullpen adjustment now seems to carry a second question about who gets squeezed out next. [Read more 🡒]