Braves sign Merrifield, call up No. 5 prospect in wake of Albies injury
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A day after losing Ozzie Albies to a left wrist fracture, the Braves made a pair of moves aimed at mitigating the loss of their three-time All-Star second baseman.
Atlanta signed utility man Whit Merrifield to a Major League contract on Monday and recalled its No. 5 prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr., from Triple-A. Merrifield, a three-time All-Star himself, was released by the Phillies on July 12 after hitting .199 with a .572 OPS in 53 games. He's expected to provide infield depth for the Braves.
Alvarez, primarily a shortstop so far in the Minors, is expected to play second base for Atlanta. In 76 games this season between Double-A and Triple-A, Alvarez has hit .293 with seven homers, 39 RBIs and an .818 OPS. Since his promotion to Triple-A on June 12, he's hit .336 with a 1.007 OPS in 28 games.
In corresponding moves on Monday, outfielder Eli White was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and outfielder Forrest Wall was designated for assignment.
The loss of Albies was the second injury blow for the Braves on Sunday. Atlanta also lost All-Star left-hander Max Fried with left forearm neuritis, which is expected to keep him out of action for at least two weeks. And those two setbacks were just the latest in what's been a season of obstacles for the Braves.
Staff ace Spencer Strider, a 20-game winner in 2023, was lost for the season due to surgery on his UCL in April, while 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. won't return this season after tearing his left ACL in a game on May 26. On June 14, center fielder Michael Harris II, the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year, injured his left hamstring while running the bases and has not played since. Before any of those injuries, catcher Sean Murphy strained his left oblique muscle on Opening Day and missed two months.
“It gets to a point where it’s kind of over the top a little bit,” manager Brian Snitker told reporters after Sunday's game. “Depth will cover to an extent, but after a while, it’s hard.”
Despite the rash of injuries, the Braves were 54-44 entering play Monday and held the top Wild Card spot in the National League.