The wait is over. After being set back a few months with a shoulder injury from a car accident back in January, Sean Rodriguez is ready play in an Atlanta Braves uniform.
Prior to the start of a three-game series with the Cubs, the Atlanta Braves made a couple of roster moves to strengthen the team’s bench. Sean Rodriguez and Danny Santana were both reinstated from the disabled list and added to the 25-man roster before Monday’s game.
To make room for the two, the Braves also sent Jace Peterson and Jason Hursh down to AAA.
INF/OF Jace Peterson and RHP Jason Hursh were optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 17, 2017
A new face, and the return of a familiar one
Rodriguez had a breakout season with Pittsburgh last year. While he didn’t knock anyone’s socks off, the super-utility man did slash .270/.349/.510 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs in 140 games with the Pirates. The Braves are looking for S-Rod to be the on-base machine he was in Pittsburgh, and if he is, expect him to be in the starting lineup wherever the Braves can fit him in.
Danny Santana had been battling a bacterial infection since just before the All-Star break, but looks to have healed up just fine. He went 5-5 with Gwinnett in one of his rehab starts on Saturday, and will continue to be a key bench piece for Atlanta.
While Jace Peterson did have a monster home run in the series against Arizona, his .187 average will not be greatly missed.
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The addition of Rodriguez and Santana’s return will only further fuel the Atlanta Braves’ push for their first postseason berth since 2013.