theathleticuk
ATLANTA A few weeks ago at PNC Park, Jim Jarvis was freshly called back up to the majors for his second stint with the Braves and was asked about the opportunity to prove he could fill the much-needed void at shortstop.
The main goal would just be to try to help the team win, Jarvis said on July 7.
Everyone up here is extremely talented.
This teams full of superstars, so Im just trying to do my part.
Advertisement Jarvis has done more than just his part hes given life to the position on both sides of the ball, and its clear the Braves have full trust in him to be the primary shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim has been absent with right middle finger inflammation.
Since being recalled on July 2, Jarvis is hitting .319, smacked his first major-league homer in Pittsburgh and has driven in seven runs.
Heading into Thursdays 6-5 win over the Padres, Jarvis .871 OPS ranks third on the Braves (minimum 25 PA) behind Drake Baldwin (1.014) and Matt Olson (.948).
Jarvis overall .308 batting average leads the National League among 65 other rookies with at least 50 plate appearances, and ranks third in MLB behind Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (.417) and Wade Meckler (.311).
Jarvis is also one of nine rookies this season to collect at least 16 hits through his first 16 career games.
It feels like these days are just flying by, Jarvis said after Wednesdays 7-6 win against the Padres, where he delivered a go-ahead double.
Im trying to enjoy it as much as I can, but its like you get to the field and its just all a blur, and then the games over.
Go home and do it again.
Fans have given him the nickname Jimmy Baseball for his impact on the field and the way he plays the game.
Jarvis runs the bases aggressively.
He plays premium defense and has saved the Braves from giving up a few runs.
Braves manager Walt Weiss admitted that he didnt know much about Jarvis outside of his defense, but just like the rest of Braves country, the Alabama product has shown he can hold his own.
He understands how to take an at-bat, Weiss said.
Theres not a lot of chase.
He forces guys into the zone.
Hell draw the walk.
Hell take an at-bat according to what the scoreboards telling him.
Theres some feel for the game there.
Advertisement I think if youre going to play in the middle of the field, especially at shortstop, you have to have a high baseball IQ.
Jarvis hot hand has forced a conundrum: what will the Braves do when Kim who is currently in a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett, which can last until Aug.
2 returns? That will be a decision the front office will have to answer soon, and it comes with a price tag.
Jarvis, who is making the league minimum of $780,000, has outplayed Kim, who is making $20 million this year.
The biggest difference is that Jarvis has options, meaning there is more flexibility in moving him.
Kim does not, and neither do a few other players on the roster (more on that later).
Jarvis has done the controllable.
Now, all he can do is wait and see, while enjoying the ride.
This is what Ive been kind of dreaming about and thinking about my entire life, Jarvis said.
Especially growing up with two brothers that also played, baseball is always the goal, and so getting to live it out is really fun.
Jarvis spot on the roster wont be the only one looming.
Ronald Acuna Jr., also in a rehab assignment with Gwinnett, could be back as soon as this upcoming road trip in Baltimore or New York.
Here are some players who could be affected when those two spots on the roster need to be cleared: Brewer Hicklen Hicklen was promoted to the Braves on July 11 when Mike Yastrzemski went on the injured list.
He nailed his audition to remain on the team he grew up rooting for when Yastrzemski returned earlier in the week, and Kyle Farmer, a clubhouse favorite, was released from the Braves.
Hes done a good job for us, man, Weiss said of Hicklen.
We talked about those pleasant surprises if youre going to have a good year.
And hes an interesting guy because as a hitter, hes kind of a reverse splits guy.
Advertisement That tracks, as he is 5-for-15 with two doubles against righties through his five games with the Braves.
That trend follows him from Gwinnett, where he hit .356 (74-for-208) with 15 homers, 49 RBI and a 1.047 OPS against right-handed pitchers.
He has doubled in four of his five games with the Braves, hitting .389 (7-for-18) with a 1.087 OPS.
Jorge Mateo At one point, Mateo seemed like the player who could outplay Kim at shortstop.
But with Jarvis hot hand and effectiveness against right-handed pitching, Mateos last start at shortstop was on July 11.
Through late May, he surged with a .324 batting average and an .805 OPS.
Since mid-June, his production dipped, lowering his overall slash line to .244/.289/.386 by the end of June.
Mateos offense has regressed to whats accustomed to his career, but his elite sprint speed makes him the third-fastest man in MLB with a sprint speed of 30.3 feet per second, and his versatility remains a valuable asset for Atlantas roster.
Eli White Speaking of speed, Whites 30.3 feet per second holds the fourth-fastest sprint speed in MLB.
But outside the outfield, its been hard to see on the base paths.
Through 53 games, White is batting just .220/.276/.398 and has a .674 OPS.
High strikeout rates and poor zone contact have prevented him from reaching base consistently, limiting opportunities to leverage his elite speed on the basepaths.
His defensive range across all three outfield positions keeps him valuable as a late-inning replacement.
If White wasnt so fast, theres a good chance his spot with the team would have been at stake earlier.
But with Hicklens strong arrival and Whites struggles, the question for that extra outfield spot looms larger.
Dominic Smith Smith was an unsung hero early in the season, but his bat, along with the rest of the team, has cooled down over the last two months.
But there couldnt have been a better time to wake up than this series.
Smith hit a go-ahead three-run homer off Griffin Canning on Thursday evening, looked into the dugout and pumped his chest with excitement.
Rightfully so, as it was his first home run since June 6, snapping a 29-game drought.
(Smith) is always a good at-bat, Weiss said.
Even if hes not getting hits, he can draw walks and can put some pressure on a pitcher by forcing him in the zone.