Second baseman Ozzie Albies is back for the Braves, rejoining the club after a months-long absence because of injury.
Albies, 25, returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the injured list Friday before the Braves faced the Phillies. His return comes 95 days after Albies fractured his left foot in Washington. He underwent surgery the same week.
“It’s awesome to be back,” Albies said. He added he hasn’t felt foot pain “in a long time” and he won’t be limited in any capacity.
Manager Brian Snitker: “It was good to see (Albies) bopping around the clubhouse again. Ozzie has a way of making everyone feel good about themselves and feel better. I know he’s excited. Reports are good, he’s running around good. ... He’s anxious to get going.”
Albies went 9-for-27 (.333) during his seven-game rehab stint with Triple-A Gwinnett this month. That included a 5-for-5 performance Tuesday, capped with a walk-off home run. The two-time All-Star hit .244 with a .694 OPS in 62 games before his injury. He started at second base Friday, hitting eighth in the order.
Albies instantly deepens one of baseball’s better lineups (”a shot in the arm for us,” Snitker said). Vaughn Grissom, whose arrival from the minors was prompted by injuries to Albies and Orlando Arcia, has proved himself major-league ready. Grissom has hit .304 over 31 games as the team’s second baseman.
“He did an awesome job,” Albies said of the 21-year-old Grissom. “He’s a great baseball player.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The Braves now have a middle-infield logjam, which is a welcome situation as the postseason draws near. Snitker said the team “won’t be crazy or stupid” about how they handle Albies. “If he needs to (be a designated hitter) for a day, we can always work that in,” Snitker said. “We’ll get (Albies) out there, run him around and see how it is day-to-day.”
As for Grissom, Snitker said: “We’ll wait and see. Again, that will be a day-to-day thing, see how we match up a certain time in the lineup or if Ozzie needs a day to DH, we can plug him in. We’re going to work him out in the outfield. The focus will be on winning games, putting a team out there that day that can win the game. It’s not going to be on individuals. So he just has to stay ready to do whatever we need him to do.”
Grissom is hitting .290 with two homers over 11 games this month, though he’s 1-for-17 in his past five contests. Young catcher William Contreras, an All-Star at DH, manned that role Friday. He and Grissom are excellent offensive depth.
In making room for Albies, the Braves designated righty Jay Jackson for assignment and placed infielder Ehire Adrianza on the 10-day IL with a strained left quadricep. The Braves have 19 games remaining in the regular season. They’ll face the Phillies in seven of their next 10 games.
Yates sidelined
The Braves placed right-hander Kirby Yates on the 15-day IL with right-elbow inflammation. Yates, who’s twice undergone Tommy John surgery, returned last month after pitching in only six games across the past two years (and none last season). He has a 5.14 ERA over nine appearances. The Braves recalled William Woods to fill Yates’ spot. Woods has pitched two scoreless major-league innings.
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