The Braves have been without second baseman Ozzie Albies for almost two months due to a fractured left wrist. In his absence, the team has leaned on veterans like Whit Merrifield and Cavan Biggio, who were brought in after Albies’ injury to cover second base.
Merrifield has stepped up with a solid .269/.374/.370 slash line while filling in, but the Braves are eager to get the three-time All-Star back in the lineup as they fight for a playoff spot with only two weeks remaining in the regular season.
When manager Brian Snitker and Albies provided an update on Friday, it was a bit concerning. Snitker noted that he wasn’t sure if Albies would return this season, as reported by David O’Brien of The Athletic. The issue lies in the discomfort Albies still feels when batting left-handed. However, the switch-hitter could return sooner if he sticks to batting right-handed only. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Albies is open to that adjustment and hopes to rejoin the team sometime next week.
Albies, 27, has historically hit better from the right side of the plate, including this season, where he’s posted a 151 wRC+ against left-handed pitching compared to an 80 wRC+ against righties. Over his career, the trend is similar but less pronounced, with a 146 wRC+ from the right side and 96 wRC+ from the left.
Though Albies has only had 14 career plate appearances as a right-handed batter against right-handed pitching, he has excelled in that limited sample, going 3-for-11 with three walks and two home runs.
In other NL East news…
The Mets experienced a scare when outfielder Starling Marte was hit on the forearm by a pitch from Jeff Hoffman in Saturday’s loss to the Phillies. While Marte stayed in the game, manager Carlos Mendoza said that precautionary X-rays were scheduled, per SNY. Marte has put up a respectable .271/.320/.399 line in 83 games this season but has struggled since returning from the IL in August, slashing .241/.286/.328 in 17 games. Should Marte miss time, Jesse Winker is likely to see more playing time.
Meanwhile, the Phillies could soon see the return of third baseman Alec Bohm, who has been out since late August with a strained hand. Manager Rob Thomson told reporters, including Matt Gelb of The Athletic, that Bohm has made progress and is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A. He could be back in the lineup as early as Monday. Bohm’s return would be a significant boost for Philadelphia, as the team has been relying on a mix of Kody Clemens, Weston Wilson, and Buddy Kennedy to cover third base in his absence. Bohm has enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, slashing .290/.343/.462 in 131 games.
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