Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) will return from the 10-day injured list on Friday in time for the team's series opener in Miami against the division-rival Marlins. Because Albies was still dealing with discomfort in his wrist when swinging from the left side, the switch-hitting infielder is going to hit exclusively from the right side upon his return to the big leagues. The 27-year-old is recovered from a fractured left wrist that he suffered at the end of July. Because of all the time that Albies has missed and the fact that he isn't 100 percent, the Braves could choose to ease him into the lineup and could even have him platoon at the keystone with Whit Merrifield as the team looks to get back into a wild-card spot in the National League. Albies was hitting .258/.310/.407 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight steals in 361 at-bats before injuries his wrist this summer.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) could begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday and rejoin the big-league roster this weekend. Once Albies returns, it would make sense to move utility man Whit Merrifield to left field. Moving him to third base is also an option, but infielder Gio Urshela's glove at the hot corner provides a lot of value. The 27-year-old Albies hasn't played in a big-league game since July 21 due to a fractured left wrist and was struggling to swing from the left side as recently as last week. It's unclear if the switch-hitting infielder will only bat from the right side of the plate when he returns to the Braves, possibly this weekend against the division-rival Miami Marlins. Fantasy managers should temper expectations with the three-time All-Star when he returns to finish up the 2024 regular season. UPDATE: Albies is scheduled to play rehab games with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday and could join the Braves in Miami for their series opener against the Marlins on Friday.
Braves Unsure If Ozzie Albies Will Play Again This Year
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said on Friday that he's unsure if second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) will play again this year. When asked if Albies would return and hit only right-handed, Snitker said they haven't had that conversation with him. The Braves could really use Albies back, as they entered played on Friday sitting a game back of the division-rival New York Mets for the final wild-card spot in the National League. The 27-year-old is trying to recover from a fractured left wrist that he suffered in late July, but he's making slow progress and still feels it in his wrist when he swings from the left side. If he is unable to return this season, veteran utility man Whit Merrifield should see most of the starts at the keystone, but he doesn't offer near the offensive upside that Albies does. It may be too much to overcome not having both Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) for most of 2024.
Ozzie Albies Not Feeling Great Swinging From Left Side
Atlanta Braves switch-hitting second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) isn't feeling great while swinging from the left side right now, according to manager Brian Snitker. However, Albies is doing well swinging from the right side as he recovers from a fractured left wrist. It remains to be seen if the Braves will be comfortable bringing the 27-year-old back to the big-league roster in the middle of September as they try to hang onto the final wild-card spot in the National League. Albies last played for the Braves on July 21 and could struggle at the plate when he returns to the majors, especially if he's unavailable to hit from the left side. Utility man Whit Merrifield (foot) has seen more action at the keystone in Atlanta of late with Albies still out, but he fouled a ball off his foot on Friday and could miss some time. Luke Williams figures to be the next man up.
Ozzie Albies Trending Toward Mid-To-Late September Return
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) said he doesn't need to wear a brace on his left wrist anymore and that his return is trending toward a mid-to-late September date after his initial eight-week prognosis. Albies took fielding practice for the first time on Friday and continues to swing a bat in the cages, but he's not hitting yet. The 27-year-old second baseman is still on the mend from a fractured left wrist but is nearing the end of his recovery. He's a must-start fantasy asset when he's healthy and on the field, but the reality is that Albies is going to have very little time to make an impact for fantasy managers down the stretch. Albies will be returning to a .258/.310/.407 slash line with a .717 OPS, eight home runs, 46 RBI and eight stolen bases in his 361 at-bats in 2024. Whit Merrifield will move back to more of a super-utility role when Albies is cleared to rejoin the Braves' starting lineup.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) is now wearing a soft cast. There remains no definitive timetable on when Albies can begin swinging a bat, but he's at least been able to run and throw since fracturing his left wrist on July 21. Fantasy managers can probably find more impactful stashes on waiver wires, as the 27-year-old star infielder is unlikely to make it back to the Braves until late September, considering Albies is only about four weeks into an eight-week timeline for a full recovery. Veteran Whit Merrifield is slashing a serviceable .258/.380/.394 with two doubles, two triples, 14 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 66 at-bats (22 games) as Atlanta's interim primary second baseman, and he's worth a look in deep mixed and NL-only leagues while hitting near the top of the lineup.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) has been placed on the injured list after suffering a fractured left wrist during Sunday's game. The 27-year-old sustained the injury while sliding into second base while attempting to steal a base in the ninth inning. This is a crushing blow to an already banged up Braves roster. The organization said that Albies is set to miss eight weeks of action following the injury. Zack Short should see more chances at shortstop while Nelson Alvarez becomes an intruging call-up option for Atlanta. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues have a tough decision to make with Albies likely out until late September.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) is heading to the injured list according to David O'Brien of The Athletic. Atlanta skipper Brian Snitker expressed after Sunday's game that the injury is 'not good' and that the star second baseman will hit the injured list. Albies appeared to have suffered this injury when attempting to prevent a stolen base in the ninth inning. The 27-year-old has held a disappointing .256/.308/.403 line with eight home runs and eight stolen bases across 90 games this season. While the extent of the injury is not known, fantasy managers should expect the second baseman to be out for a significant amount of time. While sidelined, Zach Short should see most of the opportunities at the keystone.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Phillies, homering for his second straight game and extending his hit streak to nine games. Over the nine-game stretch, the 27-year-old is 14-for-36 (.389) with three doubles, two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base. For the season the 3x All-Star owns a .266-8-43-45-6 line with a .324 wOBA and 108 wRC+. At about the halfway point of the season, fantasy managers were surely hoping for more home runs, but Albies' 24 doubles is third-most in all of baseball. Perhaps he'll turn some of those into homers in the second half.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies brought in the only run on Monday in the 2-1 loss against the Seattle Mariners. Albies went 1-for-4, with his only hit being a double, but he also brought in the only run for Atlanta. The 27-year-old has provided production for a powerful Braves lineup this season, hitting .325 (26-for-80) in 19 games. He has nine doubles, two homers, 16 runs, 17 RBI, five walks, and 14 strikeouts. Albies returned from the 10-day injured list (fractured toe) four days ago and picked up where he left off for fantasy managers, remaining a consistent starter.
