"Allen was perhaps an option at shortstop for Atlanta coming into 2025, but not the option. The highly-regarded defender provided the team insurance up the middle for the struggling Arcia and the returning-from-injury second baseman Ozzie Albies. If Atlanta had upgraded the shortstop position prior to Spring Training, it was possible Allen would have been squeezed off the roster. However, he was expected to fill an end-of-the-bench role while providing exceptional defense when on the field."
"To say Allen couldn't hit major league pitching was either an understatement (if you took it figuratively), or an overstatement (if you took it literally). He came into 2025 with a career 53 wRC+ in 760 PAs, with no wOBA/xwOBA shenanigans going on. He also wasn't exactly playing stellar defense, despite that being his calling card in theory: coming into 2025, he was at +1 OAA-based runs at second in about 300 innings, and +7 OAA-based runs at shortstop in about 1,550 innings."
Atlanta acquired Allen from Oakland on November 11, 2024, sending minor league pitcher Jared Johnson in the swap. Allen arrived as depth behind incumbent Orlando Arcia and returning second baseman Ozzie Albies, projected as an insurance option rather than the primary shortstop. He delivered standout defensive play once given the starting role, producing notable OAA marks at shortstop, but his offensive profile remained extremely poor, entering 2025 with a 53 career wRC+ across 760 plate appearances. The combination of exceptional defense and deplorable offense left his outlook as a defensive asset whose bat significantly hampered overall value.
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