Baldwin Returns to Braves
Drake Baldwin Returns to Braves Lineup, Batting Leadoff After 10-Day Injured List Stint
Drake Baldwin is back. The Atlanta Braves activated their star catcher on June 15 and slotted him leadoff against the San Francisco Giants on June 16, just four weeks after a right oblique strain ended his hot start to the season. RotoWire reports Baldwin went straight into the top spot in the order at Truist Park for a 7:15 PM ET first pitch.
The timing is urgent. Since June 1, the Braves have hit just .209 as a team with a .674 OPS — the third-worst mark in the majors over that span, according to StatMuse. Atlanta still leads the NL East at 46-25, but the offense that entered the year as one of baseball's best has gone quiet at exactly the wrong time.
Baldwin's Injury, Recovery, and Record-Fast Return
Baldwin left a May 18 game against the Miami Marlins after experiencing right-side discomfort. The Braves placed him on the 10-day IL the next day. Manager Walt Weiss confirmed an MRI showed a Grade 1 oblique strain — the mildest form. Weiss said at the time, "Obliques are never fun to deal with," according to AP.
After three weeks of rest and work at the team's Florida complex, Baldwin started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on June 13. He hit a home run in his first game back, per Field Level Media. A second rehab game was rained out on June 14, but the Braves decided one strong showing was enough. They activated him June 15, outrighting veteran catcher Austin Wynns to Triple-A.
Weiss Bets on Baldwin's Bat to Break June Slump
Before the injury, Baldwin slashed .303/.389/.543 in 48 games with 13 home runs and 38 RBI, according to RotoWire. He posted a 159 wRC+ — a stat that measures how much better a hitter is than average — making him the engine of Atlanta's offense. Batting him leadoff is a direct attempt to get him the most plate appearances possible.
Analyst Lindsay Crosby of Bleav Network called the return "huge," framing the leadoff move as an "all-out assault" designed to break the slump. Baldwin's elite contact quality backs that up. Baseball Savant tracks his barrel rate at 18.6% and hard-hit rate at 53.8%, numbers that show his power is built on real skill, not luck.
Giants Starter's Platoon Splits Make the Matchup Inviting
Weiss also had a clear matchup in mind. Giants starter Adrian Houser entered June 16 with a 5.54 ERA and a glaring weakness against left-handed hitters. Against lefties this season, Houser has allowed a .355 average and a 1.022 OPS, per Sports Illustrated. Baldwin bats left-handed.
By contrast, Houser has been far better against right-handed hitters, posting a 3.86 ERA. The gap is massive. Putting Baldwin — the Braves' most dangerous left-handed bat — at the top of the order means he could see Houser three times before a potential pitching change, per Sports Illustrated.
Baldwin's Return Carries Bigger Playoff Stakes for Atlanta
The Braves are also dealing with thin catching depth. Starting catcher Sean Murphy is on the 60-day IL. The team has leaned on Sandy Leon and Chadwick Tromp to fill in. Making things tougher, pitcher Spencer Strider was recently shut down four weeks with elbow inflammation, according to Bleav Network, putting even more pressure on the lineup to score runs.
Despite the June stumble, Atlanta leads the NL East by 8.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies, per Yardbarker. Baldwin also leads all NL catchers in All-Star voting. A strong stretch run in June could lock up his first All-Star selection. Some analysts caution, however, that oblique injuries can come back if a player returns too fast — Baldwin played just one rehab game before taking the leadoff spot, per Major Wager.
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