ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr.'s sore right knee limited him to designated hitter duties for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night at Truist Park. The Atlanta Braves announced the lineup change approximately 90 minutes before first pitch, shifting Acuña from his slated assignment in right field to keep his bat in the lineup while managing the knee soreness.
The veteran outfielder served as the DH 14 times during the regular season, but Tuesday marked the first time he has filled the role during this postseason. Lane Thomas was tabbed to replace Acuña in right field for the NLDS matchup, while catcher Sean Murphy was moved to the bench after initially being lined up to serve as Atlanta's DH in Game 3.
Acuña entered Tuesday looking to rediscover his late-season rhythm at the plate. He produced a .997 OPS over his final 26 regular-season games, but he was just 3-for-18 through his first five playoff games this year. The DH assignment allows Atlanta to preserve his offense without the defensive workload in right.