The Braves are in a tight spot following the injury to Austin Riley. With no inspiring replacement on the major league roster, Alex Anthopoulos is picking from other teams’ scraps and came away with Gio Urshela, who was just DFA’d by the Tigers.
In other news, the Braves are also preparing in case Urshela and Luke Williams struggle, moving Yuli Gurriel to third base in Triple-A Gwinnett.
The Braves are planning to use Yuli Gurriel as a third base in Triple-A following Austin Riley's injury.
Third base was Gurriel's primary position in the first half of his career from 2002 to 2016.
Gurriel has played 92 games as a 3B in the Big Leagues.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) August 20, 2024
Gurriel isn’t quite as nimble as he once was, but he did play some third base earlier in his career.
The former batting champion, Gold Glove award winner, and two-time World Series champion joined the Braves earlier this season on a minor league deal. The 40-year-old played last season for the Marlins after spending seven years with the Astros.
In 108 games for Miami in 2023, Gurriel slashed .245/.304/.359 with four homers and 27 RBIs. In 72 games for the Stripers this year, Gurriel is slashing an impressive .300/.380/.498 with 12 home runs, good for a .878 OPS.
Yuli Gurriel and Gio Urshela aren’t the most exciting potential replacements for Austin Riley, but it’s the best the Braves can do at this point. The hope is that Ozzie Albies and Jorge Soler return soon, helping propel Atlanta to a Wild Card berth, and Riley will rejoin the club in the postseason.
It’s not impossible. The Braves still have a lot of talent on the roster, but it’s certainly improbable.
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Photographer: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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