The 2024 season has been unrelenting for the Atlanta Braves. Injury after injury has piled up, with the team losing six All-Stars for significant time or the whole season. With the latest loss of Austin Riley, many are wondering if this is the knockout blow to the Braves’ playoff aspirations. At first glance, you could initially say that, as the organizational depth of Atlanta has been more than tested to this point. When the dust settled and play resumed on Tuesday night, we were reminded that there is still some life in this Braves team, partly thanks to two of their midseason additions.
With a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, you could feel the electricity in the air. It’s a good reminder that both the starting pitching and bullpen are still tops in the league. It wasn’t just that the pitching was fantastic, though. Some players who weren’t even on the roster on Opening Day were big contributors. Not only in this game have they been productive, but actually since they’ve put on Braves uniforms. Both Whit Merrifield and Ramón Laureano have been rewriting their 2024 seasons. It comes at the perfect time, too, as Atlanta has been looking for positive results amid all their injuries.
Both players started their 2024 campaigns for different teams. Merrifield started with the Philadelphia Phillies, and Laureano with the Cleveland Guardians. After some underwhelming performances from the two, their respective clubs decided to part ways with the utility veteran and outfielder. After the injuries to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies, both players got their chance to be everyday starters for the Braves. And they have made the most of their opportunities.
Braves Midseason Additions are Rewriting Their Seasons
Whit Merrifield’s Contributions
On July 12, the Phillies decided to release Merrifield after some offensive struggles. Philadelphia went on a great run to start the season, and Merrifield still couldn’t get it going offensively. He had just a .199 average and a .572 OPS in 53 games. Releasing Merrifield and going with Weston Wilson from their Triple-A organization, his short tenure with the Phillies was over.
After the injury to Ozzie Albies on July 21, Atlanta decided to take a chance on Merrifield, signing the veteran 35-year-old to a major league contract. Initially intended as Albies’ replacement, he also had an injury scare himself, requiring stitches in his right middle finger after taking a ground ball off the finger during warm-ups. Fortunately, he only needed a couple of days to heal and did not land on the injured list.
Since he joined the Braves and took over the second base position, Merrifield has been a net positive for Atlanta. In 20 games, he has slashed .259/.386/.414, sporting an even .800 OPS. Another element he brought to Atlanta is speed in the lineup. He has had five stolen bases and two triples, both things Atlanta has lacked this season. This adds up to a healthy 127 wRC+ in a short time, which is higher than the NL average of 100 wRC+. Above all other things that he has brought to Atlanta, he’s bringing a veteran presence into the locker room. Merrifield is a well-respected nine-year MLB veteran and brings a lot of useful experience as he can play in the infield and outfield.
“I would be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to play well against a team that told you that you weren’t good enough to play for them. I do love those guys. I wish them the best, just a little bit less when they play the Braves.”
Whit Merrifield after tonights W⤵️ pic.twitter.com/sufzhSmNMY
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) August 21, 2024
If the speculation that Albies could return in early September becomes true, Merrifield’s versatility will still be useful. As the need for defense at third base is still there, he would be able to slide over to third and remain on the field. Unless the signing of Gio Urshela exceeds expectations, you could more than likely see Merrifield taking over the third base position.
Ramón Laureano’s Contributions
Finding a suitable replacement in right field for Ronald Acuña Jr. was not an easy task for Atlanta. They originally went with Adam Duvall, as he was the trusted veteran for manager Brian Snitker. However, Duvall was becoming a liability in the lineup every day for the Braves. On May 29th, Alex Anthopoulos signed Laureano to a minor league contract and reported to Triple-A Gwinnett. After being released by the Cleveland Guardians just four days prior, it was a needed depth signing with the season-ending injury to Acuña.
In 31 games with the Guardians, Laureano was hitting for just a .143 average with an underwhelming .494 OPS. This led to his release by Cleveland. However, since his signing with Atlanta, he has turned around his season. In 35 games, he’s slashing .284/.320/.537 to complement a .857 OPS. He also has a WRC+ of 134 in his Braves tenure.
His offense has been a nice contribution in Atlanta. Still, it hasn’t been all sunshine for Laureano in his time with the Braves. He did have a pretty disastrous game against the New York Mets, in which he thought there was a squeeze bunt situation in the top of the 10th inning. Jarred Kelenic missed the bunt and Laureano was thrown out between third base and home. In the bottom of the 10th of that game, he overran a ball in right field, leading to a 3-2 Mets victory in extras. Since that game, though, he has made defensive strides and has been an everyday outfielder for Atlanta. Tuesday’s win against the Phillies was a perfect example of that.
Ramón Laureano’s pair of sliding grabs seals the deal for the @Braves 😮💨
(MLB x @Gatorade) pic.twitter.com/IGKRnWuTgs
— MLB (@MLB) August 21, 2024
Everyday Starters
These two have been solid additions for the Braves. Once again, Alex Anthopoulos struck while the iron was hot, signing what has ended up being net-positive production from players who other teams released. With all the injuries and expectations still for the Braves, these two have proven that they need to be in the lineup every night right now. Braves fans still believe in this team, and midseason additions Merrifield and Laureano could continue to be unsung heroes for Atlanta’s 2024 postseason hopes.
Photo Credit: © Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
