Subscribe
Follow Us
The Atlanta Braves have made a move on third baseman Gio Urshela following the brutal injury update concerning third baseman Austin Riley. With Riley done for at least the remainder of the 2024 MLB regular season, the Braves reportedly struck a deal with infielder Gio Urshela.
Atlanta's interest in Urshela was reported initially by Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Tuesday morning.
“Gio Urshela, released on Sunday by the Tigers, is closing in on a major league agreement with the Braves, The Post has learned. Atlanta announced Monday that third baseman Austin Riley would be lost 6-8 weeks with a fractured right hand.”
Nearly an hour later after Sherman posted that report on X (formerly Twitter), Jon Heyman, also of the New York Post confirmed that Urshela” does indeed have a deal with Braves.”
The Braves made a swift move to find help on third base after it was revealed that Riley had suffered a fracture in his hand. His injury timeline is believed to be about six to eight weeks, which means Atlanta will have him back in the 2024 MLB postseason — if the Braves even make the boat to the playoffs.
Will Gio Urshela provide the answers for the Braves amid Austin Riley's absence?
Meanwhile, Urshela has a new opportunity to boost his stock. He was released by the Detroit Tigers on Monday and now finds himself in a position to contribute to a potential postseason-bound club. In 92 appearances this season for the Tigers, Urshela hit just .243/.286/.333 with five home runs and 37 RBIs. Since 2023, which includes a stop with the Los Angeles Angels, Urshela has only posted an 81 OPS+ along with a hitting line that reads .267/.304/.350.
The Tigers signed Urshela for a one-year deal worth $1.5 million and they will continue to shoulder that salary. For the Braves, they will just have to pay Urshela's league minimum according to his tenure on a big league roster or the injured list.
Atlanta will be hitting a jackpot with his deal with Urshela if he somehow finds a way to be as good as he was in 2019 when he was still with the New York Yankees. That season, Urshela turned heads by hitting .314/.355/.534 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs while posting a 133 OPS+ across 132 games and 476 plate appearances.
The Braves own a 66-58 record entering Tuesday, still seven games behind the National League East division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. They are, however, occupying the third and final wild-card spot in the NL at the moment. Speaking of the Phillies, the Braves will have a crucial series ahead against Philadelphia that starts this Tuesday evening.
