In response to Ozzie Albies’ injury on Monday, the Atlanta Braves signed veteran Whit Merrifield and promoted Nacho Alvarez Jr. from Triple-A Gwinnett.
But when Merrifield hurt his finger during infield practice, he soon joined Atlanta’s long list of injured players. His status is reported as day-to-day, and X-rays came back negative.
In response, Braves manager Brian Snitker stated, “You can’t make it up.”
During Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, Albies broke his left wrist. He will likely be out for approximately eight weeks. The team hopes he won’t require surgery, but he was put on the 10-day injured list on Monday.
Snitker continued, “They casted him up, and it’s clean.” The Braves moved outfielder Eli White to Triple-A Gwinnett following Sunday’s game and designated outfielder Forrest Wall for assignment in order to make room for Merrifield on the 40-man roster.
A important veteran at second base, Merrifield was released by Philadelphia on July 12. The Braves will be looking to replace Albies for the majority of the remaining regular season.
Prior to Merrifield’s injury, Alvarez was supposed to bat second and start at second base. “Insert him among the guys,” Snitker said. “Why not? His swing has been hot.”
After being promoted to Gwinnett on June 12, Alvarez, a fifth-round draft pick in 2022, hit.336 with seven home runs in 28 games. White Merrifield hits a single in the eighth inning.
Alvarez described his emotional response to the news of his promotion to the majors, including “probably 10 minutes of straight crying” in a phone call with his parents. “Pretty much two years after I got drafted, I’m here now,” Alvarez said.
The only issue, according to Fontana, California native Alvarez, was that his parents were having trouble finding another trip to see him make his Major League Baseball debut when their early Monday flight to Atlanta was canceled.
Alvarez spent most of his minor league career at shortstop, but he has expertise at second base from his high school career and anticipates a seamless adjustment.
Ultimately, Alvarez said, “it’s just baseball.” Merrifield, thirty-five, batted.199 in 53 Phillies games this season, starting at third base, left field, and second base.
Merrifield will receive $278,495 from the Braves, which is a prorated portion of the $740,000 MLB minimum salary. The remaining $7 million of his salary and the $1 million required to exercise his 2025 option are the Phillies’ to pay.
MLB player Ozzie Albies
Orlando Arcia, the shortstop for the Braves, started 43 games at second base in 2021. The Braves put Arcia’s defensive prowess at shortstop first while looking for replacements for Albies. Merrifield might act as insurance in case Alvarez has trouble adjusting.
In the ninth inning on Sunday, Albies hurt his wrist trying to field a throw during Michael Siani’s steal of second base. The infielder’s glove hand twisted awkwardly when Siani slipped into Albies.
During Sunday’s game, Albies was replaced by Zack Short. Albies is the third starting position player from Atlanta to miss significant time due to injury. Ronald Acuña Jr., the reigning NL MVP, sustained a season-ending knee injury in May.
Following Acuña’s injury, center fielder Michael Harris II assumed the leadoff hitter role. However, on June 14, he was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain, and he has not yet started a rehab assignment.
All-Star left-hander Max Fried was placed on the 15-day IL earlier on Sunday due to forearm neuritis, or inflammation of the nerves; the move was retroactive to Thursday. In April, ace right-hander Spencer Strider had Tommy John surgery that ended his season.
Regarding the Braves’ injury struggles, Snitker remarked, “It’s been very tough.” They’ve won the division championship for the previous six years, and they presently sit second in the NL East. “This year has been really interesting. Nothing is ever simple. Adversity is something you must frequently conquer.
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