Orlando Arcia's demotion by the Atlanta Braves to make room for Ronald Acuña Jr. caught some fans off guard. Yes, the writing has been on the wall for weeks that Arcia wasn't a part of the team's future. However, there was the thought that the franchise could keep Arcia as insurance behind the current unproven shortstop. Demoting Luke Williams made sense with Arcia shifting into a utility role and Nick Allen remaining as the team's starter.
While the decision to move on isn't a bad one, it is a bit eye-catching after three years of expecting Arcia to be starting at short.
Looking at the current construction of the Atlanta roster, it is fair to wonder what direction the team could next look to change. If last week's events have any bearing on the direction the Braves take, it will be calling up Craig Kimbrel. It is past time to promote the veteran and find out if anything is left in the tank. The current underwhelming options are consistently letting the Braves down and costing the team games.
Braves' Next Significant Change Must Happen in the Bullpen
This isn't to say that Craig Kimbrel is going to be an instant fix or even a reliable option. Rather than the definition of insanity is the exact approach Atlanta's bullpen management continues to choose. Expecting different results from the same struggling pieces isn't a legitimate avenue to meaningful improvement.
The Braves owe it to the team and fan base to promote Kimbrel while actively searching for possible upgrades. With the number of teams already falling far out of postseason contention, it shouldn't be difficult to find possible improvements. Even if Atlanta opts to target all reclamation projects, it is at least a legitimate attempt to find possible improvements.
Arcia's demotion was a message that Atlanta will no longer tolerate failure from established players. It is an energy that the team must maintain not only on their bench and among position players, but also for a unit that is consistently hurting the roster. After weeks of overachieving, the bullpen regression has been obvious and demands attempts for improvement. The first step in that direction is making an overdue move and finding out exactly what the team has in veteran Craig Kimbrel.