The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a deal with infielder Gio Urshela, reports the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. The Detroit Tigers released the 32-year-old from Columbia on Sunday after appearing in 92 games for the club.
Gio Urshela does indeed have a deal with Braves https://t.co/JQkolYtaUi
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 20, 2024
During those 92 games, Urshela slashed .243/.286/.333 with 37 RBIs. The nine-year Major League veteran will now play for his seventh team. Urshela has been a reliable hitter throughout his career, with a career batting average of .273 and an OPS of .730. His best seasons came with the Yankees in 2019 and 2020.
The Colombian native began his professional career in the Dominican Summer League after he was signed as an international free agent by the Cleveland Indians. Urshela has also appeared for the Colombian National Team in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic. In 2013, the team made it to the qualifiers but lost to Panama and did not qualify for the tournament. Urshela received 14 plate appearances in 2017 after the team qualified for the WBC. He batted .143 after picking up two hits.
The Braves made this addition one day after announcing that third baseman Austin Riley had suffered a right-hand fracture. It is expected Riley will miss six to eight weeks. Urshela has played a number of games at third base this season and is expected to fill that role while Riley is out. The Braves will be on the hook for the remaining $1.5 million left on his contract.
Despite being decimated by injuries throughout the season, Atlanta is hanging on to the final National League wild card spot. Riley joins the list of Ronald Ocuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Spencer Strider to suffer significant injuries this season.
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Photo Credit: Gio Urshela #13 of the Detroit Tigers is pictured during batting practice before a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on August 7, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. The Tigers won 6-2. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
