The Atlanta Braves are facing a significant challenge with the loss of their star third baseman, Austin Riley, who will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a broken right hand.
In an effort to fill the void left by Riley, the Braves quickly signed veteran infielder Gio Urshela, who arrived in Atlanta on Monday night and finalized his Major League contract on Tuesday morning. Urshela expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Braves and contributing to their postseason ambitions.
To accommodate Urshela on the roster, the Braves placed Riley on the 10-day injured list and moved pitcher A.J. Minter to the 60-day injured list, signaling that Minter’s season is also over following his recent hip surgery.
Urshela, 32, was recently released by the Detroit Tigers after a season where he hit .243 with five home runs and a .619 OPS over 92 games. The Tigers released him to evaluate younger infield prospects as the season winds down.
Braves manager Brian Snitker acknowledged the team’s fortune in acquiring Urshela, given the lack of strong internal options to replace Riley. Urshela brings experience and a solid track record, having posted an above-average offensive performance (119 OPS+) during his time with the Yankees and Twins from 2019-2022.
Despite a pelvic fracture that ended his 2023 season with the Angels, Urshela showed promise by hitting .299 with a .703 OPS in 62 games before his injury.
Riley’s injury occurred on Sunday when he was hit by a 97 mph fastball from Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz. Although initial tests were inconclusive, there was an underlying concern about the severity of the injury even before Riley returned to Atlanta for an MRI on Monday.
His absence is a significant blow to the Braves, as Riley had been heating up since mid-June, hitting .292 with 16 home runs and a .942 OPS over his last 57 games.
This injury also ends Riley’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive 30-homer season, as he finishes the year with 19 home runs and a .783 OPS. Despite missing two weeks in May due to an oblique strain, Riley had managed to rebound and was becoming a key offensive contributor for the Braves before this unfortunate setback. The Braves now look to Urshela to help maintain their momentum as they push toward the postseason.
