Just a few days after clinching the NL East title for the first time in five years, we’ve learned that Braves shortstop, Dansby Swanson, has a partially torn ligament in his left hand. Needless to say, this is awful news considering Atlanta begins postseason play late next week.
Technically, the Braves haven’t ruled him out of playing next week in the NLDS, but I think we can all agree it’s not very likely. While I’m sure Swanson will do everything in his power to get back in the lineup, it’s probably not wise to have him hit with a left hand that’s still ailing. Thankfully for the Braves, fellow infielder, Charlie Culberson, has done enough in 2018 to get the nod at shortstop for the time being.
Culberson has earned the title of “Charlie Clutch” this year thanks to his numerous big hits for Atlanta in late innings, which should give everyone a sense of confidence in his ability to produce for the Braves this postseason. He definitely doesn’t have the defensive ability Swanson brings to the table, but he does have some seriously-valuable postseason experience under his belt.
Needless to say, that could be vital for the Braves, as most of their young lineup hasn’t seen a single pitch in the MLB Postseason.
Stay tuned, as this story will surely be developing over the next seven days.
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