Second baseman Ozzie Albies came back from a broken left wrist on Friday but went hitless in the Atlanta Braves’ 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.
Albies was taken off the 10-day injured list just in time for the last ten days of the Braves’ playoff chase. He only batted right-handed and finished 0 for 4.
“We know what he can do,” said manager Brian Snitker after the game. “It’s still good to see him in that lineup, I’ll tell you that.”
Albies had been out since he fractured his wrist during a game against St. Louis on July 21. He got injured while trying to catch a throw when Michael Siani stole second base. Siani slid into Albies, causing his glove hand to bend back awkwardly.
“He brings so much heart and soul to our game and the team,” Snitker said. “Who he is, how he plays, it’s hard to replace that. If you play the game the way Ozzie does, you’re going to play it right. Having him in there is just a huge spark for our club.”
Before the injury, Albies was batting .255 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs. He hit second in the lineup on Friday, with Michael Harris II leading off. Snitker explained this was to add more speed to the top of the lineup.
“Just kind of a good mix with what Ozzie brings anyway,” Snitker said. “And then you got a couple of guys that can run up there at the top of the order.”
Cavan Biggio, another second baseman, was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The Braves are trying to secure a playoff spot without reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., who suffered a season-ending knee injury on May 26.
