ATLANTA — Because the Braves strengthened their postseason bid with a rain-soaked 6-2 win over the Dodgers on Friday night time at Truist Park, it was straightforward to know why Whit Merrifield was decided to return to Atlanta’s lineup one week after fracturing a bone in his left foot.
“Time’s working out,” Merrifield stated. “And admittedly, I’m 35. I don’t know what number of extra possibilities I’ll must be a part of a playoff race. It’s essential for me to do what I can for a crew that’s in a playoff race.”
The Braves’ bid for a seventh consecutive Nationwide League East title basically died two weeks in the past. However as they close to the tip of an injury-ravaged season, this resilient bunch remains to be experiencing the joys of a postseason race. They stand one recreation behind the Mets within the battle for the third and ultimate NL Wild Card spot.
“We’re down within the scoreboard watching territory,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “We will solely do what we are able to do.”
One yr after sending six place gamers to the All-Star Recreation, the Braves are happening the stretch counting on three gamers — Merrifield, Gio Urshela and Ramón Laureano — who had been launched by different golf equipment earlier this yr. Urshela fueled a four-run second inning with a two-run residence run. It was his first homer because the Braves signed him after he was launched by the Tigers final month.
Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach acquired extra help when one among Atlanta’s 2021 postseason heroes, Jorge Soler, added one other two-run homer off Landon Knack within the second inning. This was Soler’s fifth homer since being acquired from the Giants on July 29, but it surely’s the primary one he’s hit in Atlanta because the commerce.
“All these guys we introduced in right here [after they were released] respect they acquired one other alternative, particularly with a membership like ours,” Snitker stated.
Schwellenbach prolonged his nice rookie season by limiting the Dodgers to only two runs and 4 hits over six innings. He slowed Shohei Ohtani’s bid for a 50-50 season by protecting him hitless with a strikeout and two flyouts.
Right here is how Schwellenbach has fared towards the groups with the NL’s greatest six information:
Vs. Phillies: 18 1/3 innings, 5 earned runsVs. Dodgers: Six innings, two earned runsVs. Padres: Seven innings, one earned runVs. Mets: Seven innings, zero earned runsVs. Brewers and D-backs: No begins
Schwellenbach has posted a 1.88 ERA within the six begins he has mixed to make towards the groups at present positioned for the NL’s six playoff spots.
“That is what I’ve anticipated of myself,” Schwellenbach stated. “I feel when this season is all stated and performed, I’ll have the ability to look again and see how far I got here this yr.”
That is an thrilling time for Schwellenbach, who started the season with Excessive-A Rome. He made simply two begins above the Excessive-A stage earlier than coming to Atlanta in late Might. However regardless of this being his first unrestricted full season as a beginning pitcher above the high-school stage, he proudly owns a 3.73 ERA by means of his first 18 profession begins.
Like Schwellenbach by no means anticipated to be a part of a postseason race this yr, Merrifield wasn’t certain what he was going to do after the Phillies launched him in July. The Braves gained a necessity for him when Ozzie Albies fractured his left wrist on July 21.
Albies revealed Friday night that he plans to return earlier than the tip of the common season and completely bat right-handed. However there’ll nonetheless be a necessity for Merrifield, who has offered worth along with his glove and bat whereas serving as Atlanta’s second baseman since late July.
Merrifield thought he may be heading to the injured record for the primary time in his profession after he fouled a pitch off his left foot final week. However as soon as a foot specialist stated there was no likelihood to additional harm the foot, the veteran infielder was decided to play by means of any lingering ache.
And to show the baseball gods nonetheless have a humorousness, Merrifield legged out an infield single in his first plate look. He then singled and scored from second on Michael Harris II’s eighth-inning double.
“If it bothered him, I don’t suppose he’s going to let ,” Snitker stated.
