The Braves received devastating news over the weekend — Ozzie Albies will miss the next two months with a broken wrist. In the wake of the injury, the club called up Nacho Alvarez and signed Whit Merrifield to a major league deal on Monday, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Superutilityman Whit Merrifield and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a major league deal, sources tell ESPN. Merrifield was released recently by Philadelphia. He’ll join the Braves today and help provide depth after the injury to All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 22, 2024
Braves fans saw Merrifield with the Phillies this season, but he was released earlier this month because of his terrible production. In 174 trips to the plate with Philadelphia, Merrifield slashed a putrid .199/.277/.295 with a wRC+ of just 65.
The veteran will surely be taking a bench role with the hope that Alvarez can replace Albies’ production at second base. What’s attractive about Merrifield is his defensive versatility.
The 35-year-old is a great piece off the bench because he can play in the outfield and at second base, so he should theoretically be able to back up Alvarez, and Atlanta’s platoon of outfielders in Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario, Ramon Laureano, and Jarred Kelenic.
The Braves cannot afford to sit on their hands at this trade deadline. Even with the slew of injuries to Atlanta’s stars, Alex Anthopoulos knows that anything can happen once a team gets into the dance.
I wouldn’t expect an extremely aggressive approach from Atlanta’s GM, but the season isn’t lost.
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Photographer: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
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