BALTIMORE – Since joining the Braves in a mid-season change, Cuban Jorge Soler has become a key part of his new club’s offensive.
Soler connected on his 5th home run for Atlanta on Sunday by going 4-2 in the Orioles win and is now beating 257/378/500 on 76 trips to the plate since arriving at the Braves.
Manager Brian Snitker is asking his batters to try to respond in urgent situations and the club’s new piece has been doing just that. Sunday’s home run broke a zero-yard touchdown run.
“Tremendous,” Austin Riley said of Soler’s impact. “Soler has taken tremendous turns and he is also a tremendous person. I have really enjoyed the time he has been here with us.”
In Soler’s 20 games with the club, the Braves have been victorious 17 times. The team is not only playing its best baseball – they woke up on Sunday with a five-game lead at the top of the Eastern Division of the National League – but also all the mid-season acquisitions have done better in the ninth .
“Sometimes I wonder if I focus too much on that,” joked Braus general manager Alex Anthopoulos about adding players who fit the team’s “personality”. “I’ve stopped bringing in really talented players. I keep trying to balance that. I don’t know if I’m ever going to find the perfect combination, but from the start I always try to go with the guys they are good people.”