Ronald Acuña and Freddie Freeman Headline Braves All-Star Ballot
By Brendan Azoff
The Braves have been one of baseball's most exciting teams to watch during the 2019 season, as their combination of veteran leadership and young phenoms give them an abundance of skill. Two players stick out above the rest, headlining their long list of All-Star candidates.
Ronald Acuña and Freddie Freeman are two players with fairly high odds of representing Atlanta in Cleveland for the 2019 All-Star game, but veteran outfielder Nick Markakis and young shortstop Dansby Swanson hope to receive enough votes to get there as well.
Freeman has hit .317 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs in his 10th big league season, and looks primed to earn second consecutive All-Star start at first base. Acuña, in his second year for the Braves, is hitting .277 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs. In a crowded National League outfield race, the fan favorite hopes the ballot will squeak him into an All-Star starting position.
The Braves also have Markakis, who is batting .282 with 4 home runs and 27 RBIs. The veteran is having another solid year, but will most likely be left out of the fan vote. Swanson is only hitting .262, but his power numbers are there with 10 bombs and 35 RBIs. The only problem is that Trevor Story and Javier Baez are also on the ballot, and will probably top Swanson's vote totals.
Ozzie Albies, Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann are also on the ballot, with Braves fans hoping to give them a boost as well.