Former Cleveland Indians infielder Gio Urshela has joined the Atlanta Braves at 32 years old. Urshela was brought in to replace star third baseman Austin Riley, who is expected to miss the rest of the regular season due to a broken hand that landed him on the injured list.
A nine-year MLB veteran, Urshela signed with the Braves on Tuesday, just two days after being released by the Detroit Tigers, a team he joined in February. While with the Tigers, Urshela batted .243 with five home runs, 37 RBI, and a .619 OPS across 92 games this season.
In his debut for the Braves on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, Urshela went 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. The Braves are currently six games behind the Phillies in the National League East but hold a 2.5-game lead for the final NL wild card spot.
Braves manager Brian Snitker praised the acquisition, saying, “He’s been a very productive major leaguer. It’s a great opportunity for him, and we’re fortunate to have a player like that available.”
Prior to his stints with Atlanta and Detroit this season, Urshela spent the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels and the 2022 season with the Minnesota Twins. From 2019 to 2021, he played three seasons with the New York Yankees, including a standout 2019 season where he hit .314 with 21 home runs, 74 RBI, and an .889 OPS. Urshela also played for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.
Urshela’s MLB journey began in Cleveland after signing as an amateur free agent from Colombia at age 16 in July 2008. He made his MLB debut with Cleveland on June 9, 2015, and played parts of two seasons with them in 2015 and 2017 as a third baseman and utility infielder.
Throughout his nine-year MLB career, Urshela has compiled a .273 batting average with 69 home runs, 317 RBI, and a .730 OPS in 756 games.
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