Braves notes: Orlando Arcia tries to bounce back, Braves add interesting reliever

Which area was Arcia’s main focus this offseason?

“Just the hitting,” he said.

This is the story with him. No one questions his incredible defense — the great hands, the strong arm, the ability to be under control when making highlight plays. But the offense? The Braves hope his numbers improve.

In 2024, Arcia’s .218 batting average was the fifth-worst mark in baseball among qualified hitters. His .625 OPS was the second worst in the sport. And at that point, you wonder: Is the defense valuable enough for the Braves to take that much of a hit at the plate?

There are a few reasons that shortstop was not as much of a need as pitching or left field for the Braves this season.

-Arcia’s stellar defense — at a premium position — is necessary. You can’t hide a bad shortstop like you can other positions.

-If others in the lineup are healthy, Arcia likely will bat ninth.

-He makes $2 million this season.

“We asked him (to do) a lot like we did, say, Jarred (Kelenic) last year,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He was hitting (fifth) sometimes. But that was the situation that we were in. If everything goes (well), then he can hit eighth or ninth or whatever and continue to play defense, and then we’ve got a guy down there that’s really dangerous.”

Multiple times, Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos has defended Arcia publicly.

“It really means a lot,” Arcia said of that. “Just to be able to take advantage of the opportunity that was offered to me — just with that alone, I just want to be able to do anything that I can to support the team in any facet possible.”

The impressive part about Arcia is his unchanged personality. He’s the same guy regardless of the on-field results, which might be frustrating to fans but actually is an important skill in a game based on failure.

“Yeah, he’s the same person no matter what,” said Ozzie Albies, who’s one of Arcia’s best friends on the team. “He can strike out four times (that night) and he will still be positive, talk to everybody, hype everybody up. It’s tough to have (a mentality) like that because sometimes people get down — and he keeps his head up, no matter what.”

How does Arcia do this?

“I feel really lucky that I feel like I’ve always sort of had that mentality,” Arcia said. “But especially after just having my two daughters, even if you have a bad day out on the field, you come home and they still love you the same regardless. So for me, that’s been a really big motivator, knowing that regardless of how I play on the field, I’m going to come home to that.”

That perspective has impacted him for the better.

“Yeah, it’s changed me a lot,” Arcia said. “Just knowing that I have that responsibility to my family, I think it’s just impacted me as much off the field as much as on the field.”

If all goes well, the Braves shouldn’t need to rely on Arcia’s offense like they did last season. And if others are hitting well, pitchers might go after Arcia, which could give him better pitches to hit.

The Braves had holes to fill this season. Shortstop might’ve been their least of their concerns because Arcia is a proven defender — something they need above all else at that position.

“Everybody goes through ups and downs,” Albies said when asked about his confidence in Arcia bouncing back in 2025. “Like we’ve always said, as long as you keep your mind strong and keep working hard, good things will happen. Don’t ever give up or give in. Just keep working, and it will turn.”

Braves add Buck Farmer

The Braves on Sunday signed right-hander Buck Farmer to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring training. This makes Farmer a non-roster invitee in camp.

Farmer went to Rockdale County High School in Conyers and Georgia Tech. The Tigers drafted him in the fifth round in 2013.

In 2024, Farmer posted a 3.04 ERA over 71 innings, with 70 strikeouts and 29 walks. His velocity dipped a tick as his four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph compared to 93.9 mph in 2023.

Farmer was in camp Monday.

“That was exciting, too, because he had a really good year last year,” Snitker said. “And it’s kind of one of those spots that we’re looking to fill, os kind of his forte, where he can cover multiple innings. He’s been a starter in the past coming up – and a successful guy in that (multi-inning bullpen role). I know he’s excited to be here, being an Atlanta guy. I was excited to see him here so quick.”

Chris Sale throws live batting practice

Chris Sale, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, threw live batting practice Monday. There were no fielders, and Sale was on a pitch count.

The hitters were utility infielder Nick Allen and outfielder Conner Capel. Allen could make the team in a bench role.

Sale looked good — good enough for the first time throwing like that this spring. He reached the pitch count.

“I thought he was really good,” Snitker said. “He was really good. In that situation right there, it’s kind of nice to put him on the big diamond, let everybody see him and you can get a really good read on him. I thought he looked great. He feels good. It was a nice little exercise for him.”

Allen smoked a home run off him. This was a nice moment for Allen, who hopes to break camp with the team.

Snitker said Allen has impressed Walt Weiss — the Braves’ bench coach who also works with infielders — this spring. Snitker also said Allen can play a capable shortstop if necessary, which is huge for his chances of making the 26-man roster.

“Just talking to the people that have had him and been around him, they rave about the defensive abilities that he has,” Snitker said. “You watch his bat and you look at some of the numbers, and it’s not zero. But the big thing we’re looking for in that position is somebody that can go out there and defend.”

Allen is on the Braves’ 40-man roster. The organization acquired him in November from the Athletics for minor-league righty Jared Johnson. Allen is out of options, so the Braves would need to place him on waivers to remove him from the 40-man roster if he doesn’t make the club.

Because of his terrific defense, Allen seems like a good candidate to make the team as the utility infielder off the bench. Allen is a career .209 hitter over 699 at-bats in the majors, dating to his debut in 2022.