The Atlanta Braves made a shocking decision on Friday, opting to designate former starting shortstop Orlando Arcia for assignment. While it has been a long-needed move, the team did have easier choices in Stuart Fairchild and Luke Williams. The demotion signals the franchise is officially ready to turn the page on the struggling infielder. Arcia had some great moments early in his tenure, before becoming a consistent source of offensive frustration.
It certainly didn't help matters that the shortstop unintentionally issued a rallying cry that helped turn a postseason series against the Braves either. However, with every demotion, there is a benefit. In this case, it is Luke Williams continuing an active role on the roster and Nick Allen being given a sudden level of job security.
Nick Allen Benefits from Atlanta's Choice to Designate Orlando Arcia for Assignment
Allen is currently hitting .258 and upping his value with stellar defense and putting pressure on defenders with his speed. This skillset is what pushed Allen into the lineup over Arcia to begin with. Now, the infielder can take a deep breath, understanding there isn't a single threat on the current roster, even if the starter struggled for a bit.
Luke Williams is the backup and is only going to be used as a late replacement or to give Allen a day off. All the pressure of having Arcia on the bench waiting for Allen to stumble has been removed. This has to provide at least a small level of relief for a player who started spring training as an outside shot to make the roster.
When ranking backup infielders who could win the final bench role, Allen was often at the bottom of the consideration. This was due to the former top prospect never hitting at the levels he has consistently reached in Atlanta. A strong spring performance not only opened the door to making the roster but also won the starting job and now has pushed Arcia off the roster completely.
One player's frustration is another's opportunity, and that is exactly the case for Allen, who now has increased job security as his impressive start continues.