Ozzie Albies is hitting.316/.355/.491 in late April, and the Braves have become the biggest bat factory in baseball nearly 30 games into the 2026 season, leading the majors in runs scored, hits and RBIs. Walt Weiss keeps finding ways to plug Albies into the middle of the order, and Albies keeps answering.
Weiss has used the switch-hitting second baseman from third through sixth in the lineup, with at least 13 at-bats at every spot in that range. Albies typically hits third against a left-handed starter and sixth against a right-handed starter, a pattern that gives Weiss options and opponents a problem. On Sunday, Albies said he will take the assignment wherever it comes, saying, “Wherever I am in the lineup, I’m gonna do what I gotta do to help my team win with whatever I can.” He added that the job might mean moving a runner, putting the ball in play, avoiding a double play or hustling — “I’ve been that type of guy. Wherever they put me I’m gonna do my job best I can.”
That flexibility showed up again Thursday at Nationals Park. The Braves were tied 2-2 before scoring four runs in the seventh inning and stretching the game to a 6-2 lead. After a run-scoring wild pitch, the Nationals turned to right-hander Gus Varland to face Albies left-handed after a left-handed reliever had opened the inning. Albies answered on the second pitch, lining a two-run single to right. Michael Harris II followed with a double to center and later scored Albies from first, turning one inning into the break point of the game.
Weiss said the way Albies is being used leaves opponents in a difficult spot, because they have to decide whether to bring in a right-hander and risk the next left-handed hitters behind him or stay put and let Albies hit from his stronger side. The manager said Albies has been swinging the bat really well, especially from the left side, and the numbers back it up: he is hitting.349 against left-handed pitching and.296 against right-handed pitching, with four of his five home runs, 12 of his 16 RBIs and six of his seven walks coming against righties. In the third or fourth spot, Albies is a combined 19-for-45, good for.422, with three home runs when leading off an inning and eight RBIs in those middle-order spots.
The tension for Atlanta is not whether Albies can handle the job. He already has. The question is how much more damage the Braves can keep doing while Weiss keeps reshuffling a lineup that is already leading the league and still seems to have room to grow.
