When the Atlanta Braves brought back Ronald Acuña Jr., there was some level of belief that it would be Luke Williams handed the demotion. This isn't much of a leap when you consider Williams was scuffling at Gwinnett before his surprise call-up. However, there is also no debating that the infielder offers more value as a defensive replacement and pinch running options than Orlando Arcia. It was the former Atlanta starting shortstop who was designated for assignment and now has officially become a free agent. The 2023 All-Star had a decisive fall from grace in the organization and will now be put in the rearview.
In some ways, it is a bit surprising that the Braves opted to make the move as quickly as they did. Arcia does carry some value as a utility bench option and does have starting experience. There is a proven floor with the veteran that is perhaps higher than if current starter Nick Allen were to suffer major regression. Still, it is hard to fault Atlanta for moving on from a player who is offensively limited and has been unplayable for much of the past two seasons.
Orlando Arcia is a Free Agent After Atlanta Opted to Grant the Veteran His Release
The move shows a great deal of faith in starter Nick Allen. Barring a surprise trade, the starting shortstop is now facing zero pressure off the Atlanta bench. Allen has already proven himself a superior defender and has surprising speed that Arcia simply isn't capable of offering. Add in the surprise offensive performance through more than two months of the season, and perhaps Arcia's release does make sense.
Atlanta's former starter hadn't garnered an at-bat since May 8th and was hitting .194, showing the exact same lack of regard for the strike zone that resulted in the veteran's benching. Arcia shouldn't have any trouble finding another landing spot on a team looking for infield depth. The veteran's starting and postseason experience is likely an attractive combination, even with the complete lack of offensive production.
It was a needed page turn for an organization that stayed stubbornly loyal to the former starter for far too long. The flip side of this is looking at Allen's offensive numbers and wondering if the shortstop can maintain this level of production through an entire season. Regardless, Arcia is now a piece of the team's past as the organization evaluates Allen and attempts to find a long-term answer.