Braves Announce Michael Harris Update After Removal From Lineup

The Atlanta Braves are heading into a huge four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. A series win by Atlanta would almost certainly guarantee they win the National League East division title.

With the stakes as high as they are, the Braves need their lineup at full strength entering Game 1, especially against tough left-hander Cristopher Sanchez.

Ahead of first pitch, all the typical Braves players were in the lineup except for center fielder Michael Harris, who was not at his usual spot. Instead, utility man Mauricio Dubon took over in center field with Lane Thomas and Ronald Acuna Jr. filling out the corner outfield positions.

When speaking with reporters during pregame, manager Walt Weiss revealed the reasoning behind Harris’s removal was not injury-related but rather matchup-based. In 16 head-to-head matchups with Sanchez, Harris has collected just two hits with 10 strikeouts.

Harris typically performs better against right-handed pitchers as opposed to southpaws, and with that sample size it is clear Sanchez has the upper hand. However, Harris will be available off the bench whenever Weiss needs him to pinch-hit.