The Atlanta Braves 12-9 loss on Saturday was as disheartening a moment as the franchise has endured this season. After jumping out to a five-run lead, fans could only sit back and marvel at the bullpen implosion that ruined a great offensive night and an incredible first four innings from Joey Wentz.
With this in mind, fans will welcome the chance to find anything positive to focus on after the loss. Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies is providing this chance, reminding fans of why he was still believed to be a franchise building block heading into the 2025 season.
Braves Infielder Ozzie Albies Showing Signs of Life After Rough First Half
A big piece of why this team hasn't lived up to expectations is the lack of production from Albies. The Atlanta infielder being such a consistent liability at the plate wasn't something the franchise was built to withstand. Things had gotten so frustrating that fans were starting to question whether the team might opt not to use next year's option.
But in back-to-back games, the infielder hit three-run homers along with showing better timing at the plate. Albies went 3/7 with a walk and nine runs driven in. Watching the power surge and productive at-bats in the lower half of the lineup has been extremely refreshing. With Albies, Nick Allen, and Michael Harris sitting at the bottom of Atlanta's order, there was a concerning lack of offensive production.
Albies is doing his best to remedy this in the first two post-All-Star break games, looking like the best version of himself.
This isn't to say Albies has clearly turned a corner or that this is who the infielder will be moving forward. Rather, pointing out the obvious signs of life and remembering that prior to this season, Albies has been a consistently reliable source of offense. Perhaps this is where things are returning, answering the question of Albies' future and giving the team one less concern to answer in what should be a hectic offseason.