The Braves needed a spark against the Pirates on Thursday, and they got one from the last guy anyone expected.
Jim Jarvis, a 25-year-old rookie shortstop who was barely on the radar seven games ago, went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored in Atlanta’s 10-5 win. It was his first career big league homer, and it came at a time when the Braves lineup — which has plenty of star power — was looking for someone to step up.
Manager Walt Weiss didn’t hold back when talking about Jarvis after the game. “Great game by Jarvis. First big league homer. Double play he turned was huge. Great to see the offense break out. But Jarvis, he had a hell of a game on both sides.”
That double play he mentioned? It wasn’t just a routine turn. Jarvis made a quick read and a clean exchange that killed a Pittsburgh threat. Stuff like that doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it’s the kind of thing that sticks with coaches.
Jarvis is now slashing .292/.320/.458 with one homer and a double. He’s played in seven games total. That’s not a huge sample size, but for a guy who was the Braves’ No. 29 prospect coming into the season, it’s a strong start.
The Braves have had a gap at shortstop all year. Nobody has really locked down the position. The front office is expected to look for help before the trade deadline, and they probably still will. But Jarvis is forcing them to at least think about an internal option.
It’s not just the hitting. It’s the way he handled himself in the field and the way the game didn’t look too big for him. Some guys come up and you can tell they’re just trying not to mess up. Jarvis looked like he belonged.
The question is whether the Braves trust him enough to hand him the job full time this season. They’re 54-38 and sitting in a good spot in the division. They don’t need to rush a trade. But if a deal surfaces for a veteran shortstop who’s clearly better, they’d be foolish not to consider it.
At the same time, Jarvis has shown he can play. If he keeps this up, the Braves might end up trading for pitching depth instead, or standing pat and letting him run with it.
The Braves head to St. Louis this weekend for their final series before the All-Star break. If Jarvis stays hot, the conversation around him is only going to get louder.
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