Braves 2020 roster perdictions

With Major League Baseball finally starting back, I’m going to share my 2020 lineup, starting rotation, and bench for the Atlanta Braves.

LINEUP:

1. Ronald Acuña Jr.-RF
2. Ozzie Albies -2B
3. Freddie Freeman -1B
4. Marcell Ozuna- LF
5. Dansby Swanson -SS
6. Nick Markakis -DH
7. Johan Camargo -3B
8. Travis d’Arnaud -C
9. Ender Inciarte -CF

With the Designated Hitter coming to the National League I think it gives more depth to the team’s lineup and gives veteran players a chance to play everyday without having to play defense. I think that the braves will play Ozuna in left field to start off the season, and if his offensive numbers aren’t very good they might place him in the roll as Designated Hitter and give someone like Nick Markakis or Adam Duvall a chance to play Left Field.

STARTING ROTATION:

1. Mike Soroka
2. Cole Hamels
3. Max Fried
4. Mike Foltynewicz
5. Sean Newcomb

While Felix Hernandez showed great potential in the beginning of Spring Training before the baseball season was postponed, I still think that the Braves will go with Newcomb because he stepped up in his roll in the bullpen last season and improved his walk-to-strikeout ratio. I also believe that, given the time that it has taken baseball to come back, Cole Hamels’ shoulder will be fully healed and he will be ready to pitch for the Braves in 2020.

BENCH:

1. Charlie Culberson
2. Adam Duvall
3. Austin Riley
4. Adeiny Hechavarria

With the 2020, 60 game season staring off with a 30 man roster, I think the Braves will put Austin Riley on the bench. However, when the roster goes down to a 28 man roster I think he will not be on the bench after that. I definitely think that Hechavarria will be on the bench given his defensive abilities.

At the end of the day, even if my predictions aren’t correct, Braves baseball is back! Even though the games are fanless, and there is no high fiving, the most important thing to celebrate in the MLB is that there will be baseball!