The Atlanta Braves are getting some help for their NL East push. Second baseman Ozzie Albies has been activated off the 60-day injured list, the Braves announced Friday morning. Albies has been sidelined since June 13 with a broken left foot. Utility man Ehire Adrianza was placed on the 10-day injured list with a quad strain in a corresponding move.
The injury was rather unusual as Albies suffered the fracture while taking a step out of the batter's box. The fracture was significant enough to require surgery. Here's the play:
Orlando Arcia, Robinson Canó, and Phil Gosselin all took turns filling in at second base while Albies was sidelined before the Braves summoned top prospect Vaughn Grissom last month. Grissom has hit .304/.355/.482 with five homers in 31 games, though Atlanta's second basemen collectively authored a .247/.313/.399 line in 81 games without Albies.
Albies, who is still only 25, hit .244/.289/.405 with eight home runs in 62 games prior to the injury. He's been a much better hitter than that throughout his career, plus he'll be a considerable upgrade defensively. Albies went 9 for 27 (.333) in seven Triple-A rehab games, including a 5 for 5 effort with an infield single and a walk-off home run Tuesday.
Now that Albies has returned, Grissom figures to slide into a super-utility role, though he has only played second base in the big leagues to date. The 21-year-old played shortstop and third base in the minors, and there's been some speculation he could wind up in an outfield corner in the future. Regardless, the Braves will find a way to keep his bat in the lineup.
The Braves enter Friday with an 88-55 record, and they are an MLB-best 65-28 since June 1. They are one game behind the New York Mets in the NL East and 12 games up on a postseason spot. The Braves and Mets will play three games in Atlanta from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, in the second-to-last series of the regular season.
