There couldn't have been a more fitting moment on the schedule for the Atlanta Braves to be hosting the worst team in baseball. Watching the Colorado Rockies in the first game of the series, it is easy to see why the franchise has fallen so far this season. To say the Rockies can't play any part of the game at a high level understates just how awful this team is.
With this in mind, perhaps it makes sense that the Rockies were the first to offer Orlando Arcia a Major League deal after the shortstop's Braves exit. After Nick Allen made it impossible to make any other choice, the Braves decided to turn the page.
However, one could easily make the case that Atlanta would've been wiser to demote Luke Williams and keep Arcia's defensive flexibility. It is a role Arcia first filled when joining the Braves, and was surprisingly productive. Still, it is understandable that Atlanta wanted to simply turn the page and put the shortstop's frustrating tenure as a starter firmly in the past. For the Rockies, there was no downside to the signing when you're already the worst team in the league.
Former Braves Shortstop Orlando Arcia Failed His First Chance at Revenge
Arcia went 1/5 in his return to Atlanta and was the complete opposite of clutch when the Rockies had an early chance to take control of the game. It was a performance that confirmed why the Braves were wise to turn the page and how quickly Arcia is running out of road to start at this level.
The veteran's offensive numbers haven't been near his career norms. This dates back to the end of the 2023 season when the shortstop's numbers cratered, and this carried over to a miserable 2024 season. Setting the stage for the surprise emergence of Nick Allen and Arcia's exit from the Braves roster.
While it is an important win and a failed chance at revenge for Orlando Arcia, there is no ill will towards the struggling infielder. Atlanta made the only possible choice, not matching the insane contract the Chicago Cubs were willing to offer Dansby Swanson. However, a rationale response would be paying for a middle-of-the-market shortstop in what was a stacked lineup.
Instead, the team elevated a career utility player into a role he simply was never suited for. Despite the consistent frustrations, this isn't on Arcia. Two games remain for the infielder to attempt to have a defining moment against his old club in a pivotal series for Atlanta's season hopes.