BREAKING: Michael Harris activated from injured list; will rejoin team for Mets series
The Atlanta Braves are slowly getting back to full strength, returning centerfielder Michael Harris II to the lineup for the road trip to New York.
Harris, the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year, suffered from "lower back tightness" on April 6th and was removed from the game. Initially thought to be for precautionary reasons, he later went on the injured list and missed almost three weeks.
Harris was having a slow start to the season prior to the injury, batting only .217/.280/.261 in his seven games. But defensively, he was in regular season mode, making highlight plays and covering plenty of ground in centerfield.
It's too early to worry about his offense - last season, in his in 114 games he bat 297/.339/.514 with 19 home runs and 49 extra-base hits. He was called up in May straight from Double-A and showed he immediately belonged despite his age and relative inexperience (only 43 games in the high minors) by collecting hits in six of his first eight games, going 7-25 with multiple extra base hits and exemplary defense.
Harris signed a 8-year, $72 million contract extension in August that, if both team options are picked up, would pay him just over $100M for the next ten years.
To clear a roster spot for Harris, Atlanta moved Nick Solak (acquired last week and called up just a few days ago) back to Gwinnett, as well as reinstating Eli White from the paternity list and sending him to Gwinnett as well.
READ: Atlanta Braves Best Lineup Options Once Fully Healthy
Somewhat controversially, the transaction was NOT designating Marcell Ozuna for assignment, as many fans have requested. Ozuna, in the 3rd year of a four year deal and still owed $33M, is batting .085/.194/.203 with an OPS+ of 8 in his eighteen starts, mostly at DH.
Welcome back, Money Mike!
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