The Braves were likely going to be a better team in 2023 because of Ronald Acuna Jr.‘s health, but Ozzie AlbiesĀ has been an underrated factor in the team’s improvements this season.
The fun-loving second baseman is the heart and soul of the Braves, but he’s also one of the best players at his position. Some people seemed to have forgotten that, especially those folks at MLB Network that kept him out of their annual top 10 positional rankings.
Albies is hitting .264 with 10 homers, good for a .816 OPS; he’s proving last season was marred by injuries, not that it was ever a doubt in Braves Country.
However, there is a polarizing conversation happening among the fan base pertaining to Albies’ switch-hitting and his stirring success batting righty versus his equally opposite production as a lefty.
This season Ozzie Albies is slashing .439/.448/.842 with five home runs, good for a 1.290 OPS in 58 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.
Against righties, Albies owns a .170/.226/.340 slash line. He also has five home runs batting lefty, but they have come in over double the number of plate appearances. His .571 OPS as a lefty is half that of his OPS as a righty.
His career splits paint a somewhat similar picture, but the discrepancies aren’t nearly as exaggerated.
- Ozzie Albies career vs. RHP: .246 BA, .305 OBP, .432 SLG, .737 OPS
- Ozzie Albies career vs. LHP:Ā .337 BA, .364 OBP, .583 SLG, .947 OPS
Albies spoke to members of the media following the Braves’ thrashing of the Rangers on Monday, telling reporters that he loves switch-hitting and doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon.
"I love switch-hitting. Some days it feels amazing on the left side, some days it feels not as good on the right side. Some days it's opposite. I guess because I'm naturally righty it clicks better."
Ozzie Albies on his incredible numbers against left-handed pitching ā¤µļø pic.twitter.com/8ZN2Ju6xTT
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) May 16, 2023
It is somewhat ridiculous to think Albies would experiment batting just right-handed in the middle of the season, and now we have confirmation that won’t be happening. But who knows what could happen in the future; it’s possible Albies eventually decides to quit hitting from the left side and focus solely on his right-handed approach if these kind of results continue.
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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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