How Mauricio Dubón's Versatility Shapes the Braves' Lineup Against the Phillies

The Braves' lineup against the Phillies this week isn't going to look the same every day, and that's by design. Which hand the Phillies start will decide who plays short, who's in left and who catches. The guy who makes all of it possible is Mauricio Dubón.

A utility man doesn't usually get this much attention in October. Here's why he deserves it.

Against Right-Handers

Against a righty, Dubón most likely starts at shortstop. That opens left field for Mike Yastrzemski, whose left-handed bat is a better fit against right-handed pitching. Everything else stays where you'd expect, with Matt Olson at first, Ozzie Albies at second, Austin Riley at third, Michael Harris II in center and Ronald Acuña Jr. in right.

That's a solid, balanced group, and it doesn't cost much on defense. Dubón can handle shortstop, and Yastrzemski is a real outfielder, not a bat they're hiding somewhere.

Against Left-Handers

When a lefty's on the mound, things shift. Ha-Seong Kim is the likely shortstop, and Dubón moves to the outfield. That takes Yastrzemski out of the lineup and puts Kim's glove at short.

Kim's bat woke up late in the season, and that's a big reason he's in the conversation at all. He showed he can still be productive at the plate, and his defense has never been a question. He's a Gold Glove winner. Getting him in the lineup against lefties gives the Braves a better defensive infield without giving up much offensively.

With Dubón in the outfield alongside Acuña and Harris, the Braves have a really good defensive alignment. Balls that fall in against other teams tend to get caught against that group.

Baldwin and Murphy

The catching setup follows the same pattern. Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy are both on the roster, and against a left-hander the most likely plan is Murphy behind the plate with Baldwin at DH. That keeps Baldwin's bat in the lineup while getting Murphy's defense and game-calling into a postseason game.

Having two catchers you're comfortable playing is a luxury in October. It means Weiss never has to choose between offense and defense at the most important position on the field. And it gives him options late in games if he wants to pinch-hit or pinch-run for whoever's catching.

There's no third catcher on this roster, though. If Weiss pinch-hits for whoever's catching, the other one has to go behind the plate, and on days Baldwin is the DH that costs the Braves the DH spot. Expect that move only late in a game.

Where Williams and Kim Fit

Luke Williams' value is that he can play just about anywhere, infield or outfield. He's not likely to start, but he's the guy who covers if something unexpected happens, and he gives Weiss a pinch runner or defensive sub he can drop in at almost any position.

Kim's role goes beyond starting against lefties. Even on days he's not in the lineup, he's the obvious late-game replacement. If the Braves have a lead in the eighth, don't be shocked to see him come in at short for defense. His all-around game makes him useful in almost any late situation.

Dubón plays into this too. Because he can move around, Kim can be replaced late in games when Weiss wants a different look, or Dubón can shift positions to make room for a defensive sub. It's a lot of moving parts, but it gives the Braves an answer for almost anything.

Dominic Smith Off the Bench

Dominic Smith's role has changed. His playing time dropped off, and his defense makes it hard to see him staying in a game for long. But a left-handed bat with pop is something every postseason bench needs.

Picture a tie game in the seventh with a right-hander on the mound and a runner in scoring position. That's the at-bat Smith is on this roster for. He might get one swing in the whole series. If it's the right one, nobody's going to remember the playing time.

Rowdy Tellez is on the roster for the same reason. Between him and Smith, Weiss has two left-handed power bats waiting for the right spot, and he can use one without worrying about saving the other.

Hicklen and Keirsey

Brewer Hicklen and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. are the late-game specialists. They're not going to start, but both can come in as defensive replacements or pinch runners, and they've already shown they can do it against this team.

In the 11-inning, 6-5 win over the Phillies on Sept. 11, both of them were used that way. That's the blueprint. Put one of them on first in a tie game and a double scores him. Put one in the outfield with a lead and the gaps get a lot smaller. They've done both before.

Build Your Own

There are a lot of ways Weiss could go with this group, and every fan I know has an opinion on it. If you want to try your hand, we put together a starting lineup game where you can set your batting order against a righty or a lefty and share it with your friends.

My guess is the lineup looks different by Wednesday than it does on Tuesday. With this roster, that's exactly how it should be.