The Atlanta Braves announced on Tuesday they have signed infielder Gio Urshela, after losing third baseman Austin Riley for the rest of the regular season due to a broken hand. The Braves announced Monday that Riley is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
The 32-year-old Urshela batted .243 with five homers and 37 RBIs in 92 games for the Detroit Tigers before he was released on Sunday, at which point the Braves quickly scooped him up as the best available option with Riley expected to miss six to eight weeks.
Urshela has a career .273 average with 69 homers through his first 756 MLB appearances. He previously played for the Cleveland Guardians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels. He spent most of this season at third base, though he’s also played the remaining infield positions during his time in the big leagues. Urshela’s best season came in 2019, when he batted .314 with 21 homers and 74 RBIs for the New York Yankees.
The Braves are currently in second place in the National League East, behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies.
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