ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves found themselves plugging another massive hole in their lineup Tuesday, signing infielder Gio Urshela after third baseman Austin Riley went on the injured list with a broken hand.
The 32-year-old Urshela batted .243 with five homers and 37 RBIs for the Detroit Tigers before he was released Sunday.
The Braves quickly scooped him up, deciding he was the best available option with Riley expected to miss at least the rest of the regular season after being struck on the right hand by a pitch.
“You go back and look and he’s been a very productive major leaguer,” manage Brian Snitker said. “It’s great, great opportunity for him, and I think we’re very fortunate that a guy like that was available."
For Riley, it was a devastating blow in a season filled with an unrelenting series of injuries for the Braves. Given the timetable for his recovery is estimated at six to eight weeks, Atlanta would likely need to make a deep run in the playoffs for their slugging third baseman to have any shot at returning this season.
“It stinks,” Riley, wearing a thick cast of his hand, said before the opener of a three-game series against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. “I hate that I’m gonna be out, not be out there competing with the guys. I also understand it’s part of the game. Injuries happen.”
The Braves can certainly attest to that.
NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is done for the season with a knee injury, second baseman Ozzie Albies is recovering from a fractured wrist, and now Riley may have played his last game in 2024.
Center fielder Michael Harris II and catcher Sean Riley have also missed extended time with injuries, and outfielder Jorge Soler has been sidelined for nearly a week with a hamstring issue and isn't expected to return before the weekend, at the earliest.
Atlanta also lost ace pitcher Spencer Strider to a season-ending injury, and reliever A.J. Minter appears done as well because of a hip issue that will require surgery. The left-hander was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Urshela.
“I think these guys are really good about moving forward and not sitting there doing the ‘woe is me’ thing,” Snitker said. “It doesn’t work. Nobody cares. Nobody feels sorry for us.”
The Braves are Urshela's seventh team over a nine-year career. He spent most of this season at third base, though he's also played the other infield positions during his time in the big leagues.
Urshela's best season came in 2019, when he batted .314 with 21 homers and 74 RBIs for the New York Yankees. He has two other seasons with double-figure homers, and the Braves are hoping he can add a bit of punch to their depleted lineup.
If nothing else, he felt blessed to get a call from a playoff-contending team on the same day he was let go by the Tigers.
Despite all their injuries, the Braves are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the NL.
“We've got like a month to go now,” Urshela said. “You've got focus on this one and then think about the playoffs.”
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