The Braves have designated infielder Orlando Arcia for assignment to make room for All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr., who is returning from the injured list. Acquired from the Brewers, Arcia signed a two-year contract and later received an extension worth $7.3MM through 2025. Despite an impressive first half in 2023, his performance declined significantly, totaling only 32 plate appearances this season. With the Braves deciding to move on, they have five days to trade him before placing him on waivers. Arcia is owed $1.376MM this season, with a potential club option for 2024.
The Braves announced on Friday that they’ve designated infielder Orlando Arcia for assignment. His active roster spot will now be filled by returning All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr., whose reinstatement from the injured list, previously reported, is now official.
Atlanta initially acquired Arcia from the Brewers in a trade that sent right-handers Patrick Weigel and Chad Sobotka back to Milwaukee. Arcia faced challenges in 2021 during his first partial season with the Braves, yet Atlanta signed him to a guaranteed two-year, $3MM contract, buying out his last arbitration seasons. A club option for the 2024 season extended their control over him for an additional year.
In 2022, Arcia showed promise in a utility role (.244/.316/.416 in 268 plate appearances), prompting the Braves to cancel that prior contract and offer him a new extension in March 2023. This deal guaranteed Arcia $7.3MM from 2023 to 2025 and included a club option for the 2026 season. Initially, this appeared to be a brilliant move by president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, as Arcia remarkably made the All-Star team in 2023, stepping in for former franchise shortstop Dansby Swanson, who had signed with the Cubs. However, after a strong first half, Arcia struggled significantly in the second half and has yet to bounce back at the plate.
This season, Arcia’s position as the starting shortstop has been usurped by the defensively skilled but offensively light Nick Allen. Arcia has only accumulated 32 plate appearances, going 6-for-31 with five singles and a double. Since August of the 2023 season, he has batted a dismal .238/.292/.380 (83 wRC+) with a strikeout rate of 20.4% and a walk rate of 6.8%.
As of now, Arcia is owed $1.376MM of his $2MM salary for this year. His contract includes a $2MM club option with a $1MM buyout, totaling $2.376MM owed. This is a manageable commitment, along with an additional season of club control, which may attract a team in need of infield assistance.
However, it’s more likely that Arcia will simply be released, as happens often with veteran players on guaranteed salaries who hit waivers during the season. Should other clubs express interest in a trade, Atlanta might consider covering a portion of the remaining guarantee to entice potential partners. The Braves will have five days to trade Arcia before they must place him on waivers — a process that takes 48 hours — to ensure Arcia’s DFA is resolved within the one-week maximum timeframe. Additionally, he can be placed on release waivers or outright waivers at any point prior to that.