Braves: Why patience is key when it comes to calling up Orlando Arcia

If you’ve been keeping up with Clint Manry’s daily farm reports, you would know that Orlando Arcia has been tearing the cover off the ball since coming over in a trade from Milwaukee in exchange for Patrick Weigel. Leading to the question — with so many Braves hitters struggling and an offense that desperately needs some juice, why hasn’t Arcia been called back up to the big leagues yet? I think there’s some rationale behind it, but Arcia is dangerously close to forcing himself into a role with the Braves. In AAA Gwinnett, he has been night and day from his performance in the majors.

Arcia Career (MLB): .244/.293/.364/.658

Arcia in 2021 (MLB): .091/.091/.091/.182

Arcia in 2021 (AAA): .385/.450/.846/1.296

Obviously, Arcia’s 2021 stats came from his time in Milwaukee, and this is only a sample size of four games — 11 total at-bats. In AAA, Arcia has three doubles, seven home runs, and 12 RBIs in 52 at-bats. He has walked seven times and only struck out five.

But while he’s playing very well, I understand why he hasn’t been called up yet. I think Arcia is a bit like Adam Duvall was in 2019; yes, he’s tearing the cover off of the ball in AAA, but that’s because he’s getting consistent at-bats. If Arcia was called up to the Braves, it’s unlikely he’d be getting those same plate appearances each day.

On top of a small sample size, Arcia has strictly played the middle infield during his career — so shortstop and second base. He has one career game in center field and three at third base. While Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies haven’t been playing that well, Albies is heating up and I give it a 0% chance that Dansby is benched at this point in the season. Unless Arcia can show some chops in center field in AAA, I don’t see the Braves calling him up to start every day.

Even then, Ender Inciarte is on paternity leave, Guillermo Heredia isn’t playing poorly, and Cristian Pache is still in Atlanta’s future plans. You may as well let him continue to build confidence in AAA because I don’t think he will be as effective in the majors if he isn’t playing every day. With that being said, if he keeps this up, he will leave Atlanta with no choice but to see what he has for a team fighting to stay afloat in the NL East.