The Atlanta Braves are already trying to make up ground in the NL East but their matchup with the Red Sox on Tuesday proved costly due to a key injury.
Given the injuries that the Atlanta Braves have been forced to endure over the past two seasons, it’s truly remarkable that they hoised the World Series trophy last year and just as much so that they remain in contention for a playoff spot again this year. But the hits just keep coming.
On Tuesday night against the Red Sox in a tight game that went to extra innings, things were looking up for Atlanta in picking up a key road win when the injury bug popped up out of nowhere to bite them.
Second baseman Orlando Arcia came up in the top of the 10th inning and smacked a hit into left field and was clearly thinking an easy double. But as he rounded first base, he clearly felt something wrong with his leg, so much so that it slowed him up, prevented him from sliding into second, and then caused him to lose his balance and get tagged out.
Arcia was then helped off of the field by the Atlanta coaching staff, clearly hobbled by the injury.
Braves: Orlando Arcia injury puts infield in a bind
Just by the look of the injury — with the strong disclaimer that I’m not a doctor — it looked as if he pulled a muscle, perhaps his hamstring, while running the bases. Regardless, it’s an injury that the Braves can not afford.
Arcia has only been starting at second base because of the longstanding injury to All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies. Now with the replacement likely out of the lineup for some time, they’ll turn to trade deadline pickup Ehire Adrianza and perhaps even look to bring back Robinson Cano, who they DFA’d after acquiring Adrianza, or some other replacement who’s available.
Even still, that’s another bat that the Braves won’t have in their lineup after already being without Albies and Adam Duvall, the latter being out for the season. And the infield depth is now in question barring their next moves.
For a team that entered Tuesday seven games back of the Mets in the division, this is the last thing that fans wanted to see in Fenway.