Mauricio Dubón earned a look as the starting shortstop. Geoff Stellfox / Getty ImagesAug. 24, 2026 4:15 pm EDT Updated As the Atlanta Braves begin a crucial stretch that could have direct playoff implications, they optioned Jim Jarvis to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday afternoon, making way for Mauricio Dubón to play shortstop every day.The move comes after the Braves (76-55) failed to extend their lead in the National League East or make headway in the race for a first-round bye. While they went 2-5 on a road trip against the Minnesota Twins and MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers, the Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning streak to nine games, closing the division gap from 9 1/2 games when they last lost on Aug. 12, to three games entering Monday.Jarvis’ demotion is an about-face from a few weeks ago, when the Braves expressed belief in the 25-year-old following the Aug. 3 trade deadline. They designated Jorge Mateo for assignment, reduced Ha-Seong Kim’s role and planned for Dubón to remain in a utility role. At the time, Jarvis was hitting .267, with a homer and 10 RBIs. Since then, he has two hits in 12 games.Meanwhile, Dubón is having the best month of his season with a .323/.348/.371 slash line and seven RBIs, strengthening what is shaping up to be a career-best year at the plate.Dubón has spent the season filling in gaps created by injuries, starting at shortstop when Kim went down early in the season and moving to the outfield during both of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s stints on the injured list. Now, Dubón has earned a starting role at one spot and is on track to blow past his career-high of games played (137 in 2024).Dubón has 29 RBIs with two outs and runners in scoring position, tied for the second-most in the majors, with his .352 batting average in those situations ranked seventh. Overall, he is hitting .268/.315/.394 with 10 home runs and a career-best 62 RBIs in 124 games.Now is as good a time as any for the Braves to change strategy. They host the Los Angeles Dodgers, currently the No. 2 seed in the National League, to open a seven-game home stand that begins Tuesday. Then they have back-to-back weekend series against the Phillies looming to start September.