Atlanta Braves: Acuna Starting in Right Means More Playing Time For Inciarte

The Atlanta Braves have made it clear they intend to start Ronald Acuna Jr. in right field this season. It is a good decision, one that indicates how the Braves outfield will play out this season.

The Atlanta Braves have more than enough depth in the outfield leaving some to speculate the Braves might explore trade options before the start of the season. While that is still a possibility it seems we can now project the Braves starting lineup with the news that Acuna will start in right.

The rest of the Braves outfield possibilities include Nick Markakis, Austin Riley, Marcell Ozuna, Adam Duvall, and Ender Inciarte.

Atlanta deciding to start Acuna is right is great news for Inciarte. Often the target of trade rumors Ender is clearing heading into the season as a member of the starting lineup.

With Acuna in right, he is the only player capable of handling center field. Ozuna nor Markakis will be inserted anywhere other than a corner outfield spot.

This is the right decision for Atlanta considering Inciarte’s upside and the number of runs he will save in the outfield.

Marcell Ozuna will undoubtedly round out the Braves starting outfield in left and sit in the middle of the Braves lineup. This leaves Nick Markakis as the Braves’ fourth outfielder, a role he is more suited for considering how much he has struggled to finish each of the last two seasons.

This leaves Austin Riley and Adam Duvall both of whom will likely be fighting for the last spot on the Atlanta bench.   Heading into the season Atlanta’s outfield certainly looks stronger and will be boosted by having Acuna’s defense in right and Inciarte in center.

While it might be hard for Markakis to accept a bench role it is the right move for an Atlanta team who has a “World Series or Bust” mentality.