Ender Inciarte's Injury Giving Cristian Pache An Opportunity
4 years agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Cristian Pache has a greater chance to open the season as the team's center fielder with Ender Inciarte (thumb) spending the last week bothered by a sore left thumb. Inciarte might not have enough time to prove he's capable of the handling the center field job with just three weeks until Opening Day. The 30-year-old lost the starting role in 2020, and Pache might be ready for the everyday job. Inciarte went 2-for-7 in three spring games before his injury after producing a .512 OPS in 46 games in 2020 while also being left off the postseason roster. Pache, 22, was used as a pinch-runner and late-inning defensive replacement in the playoffs despite have just four major league plate appearances. The No. 12 prospect in baseball could immediately become an elite defender, but there are questions about his offense, as he went 4-for-22 with a homer and a double in last year's postseason. He's also 2-for-13 with a double and three strikeouts this spring.
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
Source: MLB.com - Mark Bowman