It is official: Ozzie Albies is back.
The Braves on Friday reinstated Albies (fractured right big toe) from the 10-day injured list. He missed the minimum amount of time, but will return for the beginning of a three-game series with Cleveland at Truist Park.
“Just watching the (batting practice, him) being out there and doing the drills and everything, he could’ve played probably two or three days ago, if the time would’ve been up,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said Friday. “I saw him the day after (the injury) and he was moving around better then than I thought he would.”
On April 15 in Houston, Albies broke his toe when he got hit by a pitch. He finished the game, but felt a lot of pain after taking his cleat off following that contest. X-rays revealed a fracture.
Albies went on the injured list April 16. He needed only 10 full days to recover from the broken toe, and probably less than that.
“It doesn’t look like he’s in any pain at all running around out there,” Snitker said.
Albies will play every day.
“He’s good to go,” Snitker said.
The Braves went 7-1 without Albies. But this says more about their talent and depth than it does about Albies, who obviously makes the team better.
The Braves now have their All-Star second baseman and two-hole hitter back. It comes in time for a tough West Coast road trip to the Mariners and Dodgers after this weekend’s series against the Guardians, who at 18-7 had baseball’s second-best record when they arrived here.
On Thursday, the Braves outrighted David Fletcher to Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s staying in the organization, as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday evening.
Fletcher had an advance consent in his contract to be assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Had he elected free agency, he would’ve forfeited the remaining amount of money on an extension he signed with the Angels in 2021. (Heading into the season, Fletcher was owed $14 million through next season.)
Fletcher has five years of major league service, which gives him the right to reject any outright assignment and be released. Except in this case, he signed the advance consent form, which allows the Braves to send him to the minors instead of releasing him.
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