The Braves’ season of brutal injuries continued Sunday, when Ozzie Albies fractured his left wrist in the ninth inning of their 6-2 loss to the Cardinals.
The star second baseman will miss around eight weeks, according to the team, which would allow for a return — if the timeline unfolded without any setbacks — around the third week of September and toward the end of the regular season.
“It’s not good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters after the game.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Cardinals center fielder Michael Siani stole second base and the throw from Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud pulled Albies off the base.
He tried to fling his glove toward the ball and either knock it down or salvage an attempt at a tag.
Albies then immediately grabbed at his left wrist in pain following the sequence, and he eventually exited with a trainer.
The Braves had already lost star outfielder and reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season with a torn ACL sustained at the end of May.
They lost ace Spencer Strider for the season — due to UCL surgery — after just two starts in April.
And Sunday afternoon, before the latest injury materialized with Albies, starter Max Fried — a two-time All-Star who has compiled a 3.08 ERA and tossed two complete games — was placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm neuritis.
To replace Albies, the Braves will call up surging prospect Nacho Alvarez, according to multiple reports.
Albies, who made All-Star Games in 2018, 2021 and 2023 has been with the Braves for his entire MLB career, has hit .255 this season with 46 RBIs.
He played at least 148 games in three of Atlanta’s past five seasons, while dealing with a pair of injuries — first a broken foot, then a broken pinkie finger — that derailed his 2022 season.
“I mean, gets to a point where, you know, it’s over the top here a little bit,” Snitker told reporters of his frustrations with the injuries. “Just can’t cover it. Depth will cover to an extent, but after a while, it’s hard.”
Despite the setbacks, the Braves entered their series against the Reds on Monday in possession of the NL’s top wild-card spot.
It will be difficult for Atlanta to catch the Phillies, who hold an 8.5-game lead in the NL East, for the division title, and these latest absences, especially with Albies out for an extended stretch, only will make it more challenging for Atlanta to maintain its playoff positioning.