Mauricio Dubón has started a game in center field at Truist Park before.
It was in August of 2022 that Dubón, playing for the Astros, took his glove and trotted to the outfield for a game against the Braves. In the bottom of the sixth inning of that game, former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson belted a ball to deep right center and Dubón went all out for the catch, crashing into the wall in front of the Braves’ bullpen.
Dubón missed the ball, two runs scored and Swanson ended up on second base. To make matters worse, Dubón left the game with what he thought was a broken arm.
X-rays at Truist Park showed Dubón’s arm intact. But just to be sure, he joked, since Spencer Strider was the Braves’ starter the following day, Dubón took the following day off before returning for the series finale and going 2-for-5 with a stolen base and two runs scored.
Less than four years later, Dubón will be back in center field and assured there would be no hesitation roaming the green grass Saturday against the Guardians. Dubón was in the starting lineup in center field and hitting sixth, a spot he’s filling for Michael Harris II, who was placed on the paternity list earlier Saturday.
“I think I got the most starts of my career there (in center field),” Dubón said. “I feel comfortable out there.”
Dubón has played 198 career games, starting 122, in center field and has logged 1,219.2 career innings at that position. It’s nothing new for the utility Gold Glover, although it will be his first time out there in a Braves uniform.
Braves manager Walt Weiss slotted Dubón in center not only because of Harris’ absence, but also because outfielder Eli White is dealing with plantar fasciitis and is day-to-day.
“The beauty of our roster is we can play a player short every now and again because our roster is so versatile,” Weiss said. “We got (Jorge) Mateo, who can play shortstop. And these are good big league players. So that’s the beauty of that versatility.
“But it’s too bad for (White) because Tuesday night in Anaheim (against the Angels), he swung the bat really well and things were starting to click. We’re gonna try to give that (injury) a few days.”
Dubón, the team’s starting shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim is on the injured list, is leading the Braves with a .347 average and is second in hits (17) and doubles (5). His outs above average, according to Baseball Savant, is two, as is his fielding run value. The latter total is tied with the Cardinals’ Mason Wynn for best in the National League.
Dubón has also already played third base and left field this season for the Braves.
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