The 2024 season is rapidly approaching its end and the Braves hope they will be able to make the postseason. However, there are a lot of things fighting against them, and getting there might be a tough task.
Atlanta has suffered through injuries all season and that's slowed them down at times but so has underperformance on the offensive side. Luckily, the Braves are closing in on getting back one of their regulars who has been missing for a couple of months.
Braves News: Ozzie Albies nears return as timeline details are revealed
It's been a long two months since Ozzie Albies injured his wrist and landed on the IL. The Braves have struggled to fill his void as Nacho Alvarez Jr. got an opportunity but proved he wasn't ready to play at the MLB level daily. Luckily, the Phillies let go of Whit Merrifield and he's done a serviceable job filling in for Albies.
However, according to reports from Atlanta's camp on Friday, Ozzie's return seems to be extremely close. Braves insiders spoke with Albies who indicated he has hopes to return "within a week". When he returns, he plans on exclusively batting from the right side as he's experienced some discomfort with his lefty swing. Mark Bowman also indicated that Albies hadn't spoken with Snitker about anything yet but believes he'd only need one rehab game before returning to the big league club.
After today’s workout, Albies says he is ready to come back and exclusively bat right-handed. He hasn’t discussed with Snitker yet. He also thinks he will need just one rehab game.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) September 13, 2024
Albies was originally expected to return in mid-September so the timeline isn't too far off. However, there is no set date at this moment. Ozzie saying he is ready to return is great to hear but it doesn't mean he will actually come back next week.
Until we receive specific details from the team, we will assume he isn't ready to return from his unfortunate injury. He would be a welcome sight for the Braves who are in a fight for the postseason. Batting only from the right side is something many have wanted to see from Albies as he's much better as a right-handed batter.
Hopefully, he is able to return sometime next week and provide the team with an offensive boost.
Braves' Marcell Ozuna reaches career milestone in win over Dodgers
It's no secret that Marcell Ozuna has been one of the bright spots for Atlanta in 2024. He's been the team's best hitter for a while as indicated by his line of .306/.379/.558 with a .937 OPS. Ozuna has slugged 37 homers which is the fifth most in baseball and his 98 RBI are 10th most.
He led the league in those two categories at certain points this season. Unfortunately, he's in a bit of a homer drought right now as he hasn't hit a homer in 22 games. His slugging percentage has dropped a good bit during that stretch as it sits at .337 with just four doubles. He's still hitting the ball as he's gotten 20 singles during that time frame but he just isn't showcasing that power anymore.
Ozuna will come around soon and find that power swing again. However, still getting consistent hits rewarded him during Friday's win over the Dodgers. Marcell got three hits which earned him career hit number 1,500. That career milestone was almost his 38th homer of the year but it hit off the left field wall instead.
1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ career hits for Big Bear!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/8W44kLMJKo
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 14, 2024
In the final season of his contract, Ozuna has continued to prove his value for the Braves. It's almost guaranteed that his club option will be picked up for 2025. He's provided Atlanta fans with a reason to watch this year despite the underperformance from the rest of the team (outside of the starting pitching). Congratulations on a great accomplishment Marcell!
Former Braves reliever Jimmy Herget claimed by Chicago Cubs
Reliever Jimmy Herget didn't have a very long stint with the Atlanta Braves this season. He saw a little bit of action for the team but was designated for assignment earlier this week so that Cavan Biggio could be added to the 40-man roster.
Herget appeared in eight total games for the Braves with a 4.38 ERA over 12.1 innings with three walks and 15 punch-outs. The right-hander was claimed by the Chicago Cubs on Friday and optioned to their Triple-A affiliate in Iowa.
There's about a week left in the minor league season so he will have a short amount of time to prove his worth to the Cubs. This is Herget's fifth team of his six-year MLB career and he becomes eligible for arbitration in 2025 and will be out of minor league options. Hopefully, he can make things stick with the Cubs or he will be looking for a new home.
That should catch up on some of the latest Atlanta Braves news. The team continues their four-game series with the Dodgers on Saturday night as they vie for the third NL Wild Card spot. Atlanta sits one game behind the Mets who refuse to lose right now. The final two weeks of the season will be nerve-racking for Braves fans.