The Atlanta Braves made a plethora of roster moves ahead of Saturday’s game against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies.
Atlanta placed both outfielder Nick Markakis and shortstop Dansby Swanson on the 10-day injured list and activated starting pitcher Max Fried to start against Philadelphia on Saturday.
Markakis suffered the wrist fracture during Atlanta’s win over the Phillies Friday evening. He’s expected to miss the remainder of the season.
This is a huge loss for Atlanta. An All-Star last season, Markakis was hitting .284 with nine homers, 55 RBI and a robust .358 OBP at the time of the injury.
Swanson’s injury is less significant, and he should be able to return here soon.
Meanwhile, Fried will return to the bump after a 12-day hiatus while dealing with a blister in his throwing hand. The youngster is pitching to a 10-4 record with a 4.08 ERA and 1.39 WHIP on the season.
Atlanta heads into Saturday’s action with a 61-43 record and 5.5 games ahead of the Washington Nationals in the NL East.
It is also said to be potential buyers heading into next week’s trade deadline. This injury news may expedite things in that regard.