Atlanta Braves MAILBAG: Where’s the Ozzie Albies Love?

In this weekly mailbag episode of Locked On Braves, host Jake Mastriani addresses a range of listener questions about the Atlanta Braves' early-season performance and roster decisions. A central theme is the overlooked excellence of Ozzie Albies, who has started the season strong with a .288 batting average, .466 slugging percentage, and four home runs, despite poor expected stats. Mastriani praises Albies' improved defense and offensive production, calling for more recognition. Other topics include the future of Michael Harris II, whose hard contact and defensive prowess suggest a return to league-average hitting; Bryce Elder’s early success attributed to better fastball location enhancing his slider; and the potential for extensions for players like Mauricio Dubon and Drake Baldwin. The discussion also covers roster decisions around catchers, the role of Grant Holmes in the rotation, and the Braves’ cautious approach to promoting young pitchers like Didier. Mastriani emphasizes patience with early-season struggles, especially for players like Mike Yastrzemski and Ronald Acuna Jr., while acknowledging the need for improvement. The episode concludes with a strong endorsement of GameTime for ticketing and a promotion for the Everydayer Club.