The Braves seemingly build a little bit of momentum and then an injury strikes.
Michael Harris II finally returned to Atlanta’s lineup and hit a grand slam in his first at-bat. However, the highs only lasted a short period because Jorge Soler tweaked his hamstring, AJ Minter went under the knife to fix a hip issue that has bothered him all year, and then Austin Riley was declared out for the rest of the regular season with a fractured wrist
The Braves can’t have nice things for very long, but that just shows the resilience of this ball club. Thankfully, Soler’s injury isn’t going to cost him too much time, and more reinforcements are on the way.
Reynaldo Lopez returned to the mound last night and was his typical steady self in his first start back. His presence adds even more juice to an already potent rotation, but a more substantial return will be Ozzie Albies.
Atlanta’s heart and soul was among ESPN’s 12 injured stars who will return and help contenders down the stretch.
What he means to the team: The Braves, seen by many as the sport’s most complete team heading into the season, have absorbed significant injuries this year. Ronald Acuña Jr., the reigning NL MVP, is out for the year. So is Spencer Strider, Atlanta’s ace. Sean Murphy missed two months early in the season with a strained oblique, and Michael Harris II, who hit a grand slam in his return Wednesday, missed two months shortly thereafter with a strained hamstring. Albies’ departure has been just as significant. He brings major production to a premium position, but he is also very much a part of the heart and soul of this team. The Braves are 10-13 since he went down.
By the time Albies returns, the Braves will have added Michael Harris, Jorge Soler, and Albies to the lineup. That’s one-third of the offense, and it can’t be understated how big of a boost that will be, even after losing Austin Riley for the season, who could potentially return if the Braves make a run in the postseason.
The Braves will be a much more formidable group if they can just get their guys back from the injured list. The postseason isn’t a guarantee, sitting just 2.5 games ahead of the Mets for the final Wild Card spot in the National League, but it’s far too early to call the Braves dead just yet, despite all the injuries they have had to grind through this season.
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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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