An infielder from the Cleveland Indians signs with the Atlanta Braves.
Gio Urshela, an infielder for the Cleveland Indians in the past, has signed with the Atlanta Braves. Urshela, 32, signs with the Braves to relieve star third baseman Austin Riley, who was put on the injured list with a fractured hand and is likely to miss the rest of the regular season. Two days after being cut loose by the Detroit Tigers, with whom he had joined in February, the nine-year MLB veteran signed with the Braves on Tuesday. Urshela played in 92 games with the Tigers this season, hitting.243 with five home runs, 37 RBI, and a.619 OPS.
Urshela made his Braves debut Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, going 0-for-3 with one walk and one RBI. The Braves currently trail the Phillies by six games in the National League East division and hold a 2.5 game lead for the final NL wild card spot.
“You go back and look and he’s been a very productive major leaguer,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s (a) great, great opportunity for him, and I think we’re very fortunate that a guy like that was available.”
Before landing with Atlanta and Detroit this season, Urshela played one season each with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023 and Minnesota Twins in 2022. He also played three seasons for the New York Yankees from 2019-21, including a career year in 2019 when he hit .314 with 21 home runs, 74 RBI and an .889 OPS. Urshela also played one season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.
Urshela began his career in Cleveland after he signed out of Colombia as an amateur free agent at age 16 in July 2008. He made his MLB debut for Cleveland on June 9, 2015, and played parts of two seasons in 2015 and 2017 as a third baseman and utility infielder.
For his nine-year MLB career, Urshela holds a career batting average of .273 with 69 home runs, 317 RBI and a .730 OPS in 756 games.
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