Braves Can't Count on an Ozzie Albies Return to Spark Offense

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker didn't sound too optimistic that second baseman Ozzie Albies will return soon enough to help the team make the postseason.

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc had a rather hilarious quote about a doughnut hole inside another doughnut in the film Knives Out. Unfortunately, the line applies all too well to the Atlanta Braves at the moment.

At second base, the Braves lost All-Star Ozzie Albies to a broken wrist on July 21. He has yet to return, and his replacement, Whit Merrifield, suffered a fractured foot last Friday.

If Merrifield can manage the pain, he could return this weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But it doesn't sound as promising that Albies is going to be back soon.

"I haven't heard anything right now," Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters after Monday's 1-0 loss. "Nobody has told me anything. Right now [Albies] is just coming in and doing the treatment. I think he ran the bases today.

"But nobody has come in and told me anything is imminent."

Although that's not an overall terrible update, there is now less than three weeks remaining in the regular season. And before Albies can return, he'll need to work on a rehab assignment.

The original prognosis for Albies was 6-8 weeks. The eight-week mark will be this Sunday. Based on Snitker's update on his progress, it sounds quite possible Albies' recovery will be longer than eight weeks.

That should cast doubt on whether Albies will return at all before the end of the regular season, which is the last update the Braves needed with their offense struggling to score runs.

In the meantime, the Braves are counting on Luke Williams filling their doughout hole inside another doughout. But in this analogy, Williams is closer to a sprinkle than any kind of cream filling.

This season, Williams is slashing .195/.283/.268 in 47 plate appearances. He is 8-for-41 with 3 doubles in 33 games.

Williams entered this season as a career .225 hitter with 17 stolen bases. That would at least be serviceable, especially if he could find his way on the bases with walks.

But in 2024, Williams is proving not be an MLB-caliber player. In his last eight games, he is 3-for-36 (.188) with a .566 OPS.

That's leaving the Braves with a giant hole in a lineup already filled with them.