The Braves’ battered infield combine took one other hit final night time when second baseman Whit Merrifield fouled a pitch off his foot throughout Friday night time’s win over Toronto. As supervisor Brian Snitker advised reporters (together with MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) a day later, Merrifield was recognized with a fractured foot that was initially anticipated to maintain him out of motion for 6-to-8 weeks. Happily, each membership and participant obtained nice information when Merrifield was examined by a specialist as we speak who advised them that Merrifield was not susceptible to worsening the harm by persevering with to play. That’s made the difficulty a matter of ache tolerance and Bowman went on to notice that the Braves are hopeful the veteran will have the ability to return to the lineup subsequent weekend once they face the Dodgers for a four-game set.
That’s nice information for a Braves membership that has been affected by harm woes all all year long and is presently with out each Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley as they nurse accidents of their very own. Merrifield himself was introduced into the fold after being launched by the Phillies in an effort to assist fill the void left by Albies when he suffered a wrist fracture again in July. He’s carried out admirably as a fill-in since then, slashing a decent .243/.359/.342 (103 wRC+) whereas strolling at a 14.2% clip and going 5 for seven on the basepaths in 34 video games with the Braves up to now.
As soon as Merrifield is able to take the sector once more, they’ll want him to proceed appearing as a stopgap possibility on the keystone not less than in the intervening time. As famous by David O’Brien of The Athletic, Albies has been doing fielding drills and hitting from the proper facet however nonetheless feels discomfort when hitting lefty. Till that subsides, he received’t be cleared to maneuver on to batting observe however might begin a rehab task not lengthy after being cleared to renew hitting. With Riley out till someday throughout the postseason, Albies’s return might free Merrifield as much as transfer to 3rd base, the place Gio Urshela’s 85 wRC+ in 15 video games since taking on the membership’s common job at third base leaves one thing to be desired.
Whereas Merrifield is unable to play, it appears doubtless that reserve infielder Luke Williams will get a have a look at second, although Snitker advised reporters (together with Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Structure) that Eli White and Ramon Laureano may be infield choices on a stopgap foundation whereas Merrifield’s foot is just too sore for him to play. Williams is essentially the most skilled infielder of the group however sports activities a profession wRC+ of simply 56 within the majors, together with a paltry .152/.243/.212 line (33 wRC+) in 33 video games this yr. White has solely restricted expertise at second base within the majors however has hit pretty effectively in an especially restricted pattern this yr with a 120 wRC+ in simply 26 plate appearances.
Whereas Williams and White being thought of as stopgap choices on the keystone is hardly a shock, the truth that Laureano can be being checked out as an choice to play the infield for the Braves is one thing of a shock. An outfielder by commerce, Laureano has slashed a wonderful .299/.336/.500 (130 wRC+) in 49 video games since becoming a member of the Braves earlier this yr however has just about no expertise on the infield, with a single inning of time at first base within the minor leagues representing all of his expertise on the grime as a professional. The 30-year-old has additionally develop into a key a part of the membership’s outfield combine whereas platooning with Jarred Kelenic in left discipline, additional complicating the likelihood. In all chance, the membership will most likely be finest served utilizing some mixture of White and Williams at second over the following week whereas Merrifield rests up and appears to return to the place subsequent weekend.
One chance that wasn’t talked about by Snitker was prime prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. The 21-year-old made his huge league debut earlier this yr with an eight-game cup of espresso however didn’t hit a lick in that transient stint as an enormous leaguer, going simply 3-for-30 with 10 strikeouts and no walks or extra-base hits earlier than he was despatched again all the way down to the minor leagues. Giving that lackluster efficiency within the huge leagues and his relative lack of expertise on the Triple-A degree, it’s maybe not a shock that the membership would favor to keep away from utilizing Alvarez within the huge leagues once more this yr as they proceed to develop the teen as their shortstop of the longer term.
