The Atlanta Braves are dealing with a significant setback as their star third baseman, Austin Riley, is out for the rest of the regular season due to a broken right hand. To address the void left by Riley, the Braves swiftly signed veteran infielder Gio Urshela. He arrived in Atlanta on Monday night and finalized his Major League contract on Tuesday morning. Urshela expressed excitement about joining the Braves and contributing to their postseason push. To make room for 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, effectively ending Minter’s season following his recent hip surgery.
Urshela, 32, was recently released by the Detroit Tigers after batting .243 with five home runs and a .619 OPS over 92 games. The Tigers let him go to give younger infield prospects a chance as the season winds down. Braves manager Brian Snitker noted how fortunate the team was to acquire Urshela, given the lack of strong internal replacements for Riley. Urshela brings experience and a solid track record, with an above-average offensive performance (119 OPS+) during his time with the Yankees and Twins from 2019 to 2022.
Although a pelvic fracture ended his 2023 season with the Angels, Urshela showed promise, hitting .299 with a .703 OPS in 62 games before his injury. Riley’s injury occurred on Sunday when he was struck by a 97 mph fastball from Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz. Although initial tests were inconclusive, there was concern about the severity of the injury before Riley returned to Atlanta for an MRI on Monday. His absence is a significant blow to the Braves, as Riley had been in top form since mid-June, batting .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 rebounded and was becoming a key offensive contributor for the Braves before this unfortunate setback. Now, the Braves are counting on Urshela to help keep their momentum going as they aim for the postseason.
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