The Braves will stay Michael Harris II on the ten-day injured list tomorrow, manager Brian Snitker told the media (X link via Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Atlanta’s center fielder came up short while running the bases in tonight’s win over the Rays. He left the game with what the team called a left muscle.
Harris will undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the extent of the injury. It’s apparently serious enough that the Braves ruled Harris out for at least 10 days before taking the snap. It seems likely that he will be found to have some level, although that will become more clear over the weekend.
The former Rookie of the Year has started all 67 games in center field. JP Martinez He came off the bench to handle the job tonight, the first time anyone other than Harris has pitched a one-pitch inning for Atlanta this year. Harris is not having a great third MLB season, posting a .250/.295/.358 batting line in 278 trips to the plate. He’s been an above-average hitter in each of his first two campaigns, bouncing back from a slow start last season with a big .325/.356/.522 showing in the second half.
Even if Harris struggles at the plate, he is a tough player to replace. He is an outside peg as one of the best defensive players in the sport. The Braves don’t have a clear option to replace him. Martínez will likely get the first crack at it, but he’s a 28-year-old rookie with 53 MLB plate appearances under his belt. Atlanta acquired the Cuban-born outfielder in a minor trade with the Rangers over the winter. Martínez spent most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .265/.337/.394 with a 25.8% strikeout rate in 190 plate appearances.
Snitker did not announce who will replace Harris on the roster. The Athletic’s David O’Brien looks on (in X) that Ramon Laureano pulled during tonight’s Gwinnett game. Laureano signed a minor league deal a few weeks ago, shortly after being released by the Rangers. He has a lot of infield experience and could see some action there, but has been an outfielder for the past three seasons.
Laureano was a no-hitter against Cleveland early in the season. The right-handed hitter has hit 38.6% of his plate appearances en route to a .143/.265/.229 slash line over 31 games. Laureano has been on a tear in Gwinnett, carrying a .333/.403/.593 line with three homers into tonight’s game. Atlanta will need to add him to the 40-man roster to raise him. That’s not a big problem, as the Braves can move Spencer Strider on the 60-day injured list whenever they need to open up a 40-man spot.
If Harris is to last longer, that would only increase the urgency for the Braves to find outside help at the deadline. That would only look important if Atlanta lost Ronald Acuña Jr. in another ACL tear. They are forced to rely on both Adam Duvall again Jarred Kelenic as everyday players (instead of their organized left platoon) since Acuña stepped down.
