The Atlanta Braves had a late collapse Friday night in their series opener against the New York Yankees.
Leading 2-0 entering the ninth inning, the Braves watched the Yankees rally to tie the game before New York went on to win 3-2 in extra innings.
Now, ahead of Saturday’s showdown featuring Chris Sale on the mound for Atlanta and Gerrit Cole for the Yankees, Braves manager Walt Weiss has made some notable changes to his starting lineup.
Braves Announce Ronald Acuna Jr. Decision
After starting Friday night in right field and batting leadoff, Ronald Acuna Jr. will drop to second behind Drake Baldwin for Saturday’s game and serve as the designated hitter.
Since Acuna returned from the IL last week, Weiss has made it clear that he won’t play in the outfield every day. He’s also found himself constantly switching Acuna and Baldwin at the top of the order.
Braves 8/8
D. Baldwin C
R. Acuña Jr. DH
M. Olson 1B
M. Harris II CF
O. Albies 2B
M. Dubón LF
M. Yastrzemski RF
A. Riley 3B
J. Jarvis SSC. Sale SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 8, 2026
Acuna Jr.’s 2026 Season
This season, Acuna Jr. has appeared in just 64 games for Atlanta and enters Saturday batting .247 with 39 runs, 59 hits, 11 home runs and 27 RBIs. He’s slugging .359 and has a .794 OPS.
In each of the last two seasons, Acuna Jr. has played in a total of 144 games due to injuries.
Braves Right Now
Atlanta had its eight-game winning streak snapped by New York on Friday, but the Braves still hold a commanding lead in the NL East over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.
The Braves are 70-46 overall and have an 8.5-game lead for first place. They’re also second in the National League, just one game ahead of the third-place Los Angeles Dodgers and two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB.
Atlanta Braves Announce Ronald Acuna Jr. Decision During Yankees Series