The Atlanta Braves lost star third baseman Austin Riley for the season over the weekend due to a fractured right hand. After dealing with injuries all season, losing Riley could represent a crushing blow for a team already clinging to life. To their credit, the Braves won’t quit, as evident by the decision to sign Gio Urshela to a major league deal on Tuesday.
The #Braves today signed INF Gio Urshela to a major league contract and placed INF Austin Riley on the 10-day injured list, backdated to August 19, with a fractured right hand. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred A.J. Minter to the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 20, 2024
The veteran has spent most of the season with the Detroit Tigers after signing a one-year deal with the team in free agency. However, Detriot designated and released the struggling Urshela last week in favor of younger players with higher upside.
Atlanta Braves Sign Gio Urshela To A Major League Deal
The Braves didn’t sign Urshela expecting him to produce Riley-like numbers. After all, he hit just .243/.286/.333 (73 wRC+) in 92 games with the Tigers this season. Plus, his last above-average season, per wRC+, was 2022.
However, Atlanta still possesses postseason aspirations. There is a better chance that Urshela will help the Braves stay afloat in the competitive Wild Card race than the unproven internal options can. Rookie (and top prospect) Nacho Alvarez Jr. has struggled immensely (-27 wRC+) this season. Veteran Luke Williams has barely been better by producing a wRC+ of zero.
The Braves have a recent history of fixing struggling veterans. While that magic has been missing this year, there’s little downside in trying to capture it with Urshela. The Tigers are responsible for most of the $1.5 million owed to him this year. Atlanta will only have to pay the prorated league minimum for the time Urshela spends on the roster or injured list.
Gio Urshela tacks on another run in the 8th, his first home run of the year. Dan Dickerson on the call #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/1BjM995aJO
— Dan Dickerson Calls📞 (@dannydHRs) May 31, 2024
It’s not out of the question that Urshela gets hot in Atlanta and helps push the team into the postseason. Urshela produced a better OPS (.658) in away games this year than at home (.583) in the pitcher-friendly Comerica Park. Perhaps playing more games away from Comerica will boost his overall numbers with the Braves.
For a Braves team that quickly lost its grip on a postseason spot, it won’t hurt to find out.
Main Photo Credits: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
