By Daniel Bonner [Bonner is a player on the LaGrange College baseball team and a political science student]

The start of the 2024 Major League Baseball season looked promising for the Atlanta Braves. Over the last six years the Braves have dominated the National League Eastern Division, and the start of this year did not appear to be any different. Needless to say, this year has not gone the way all of Braves country expected it to go. The Atlanta Braves have been hit with injury after injury and have not truly played with their entire lineup since April. The latest injury was Austin Riley’s wrist fracture, and it has been announced that he will be out 6-8 weeks. The Braves are in the midst of a possible wild card berth and the wild card race is tight with the Mets and Giants right behind the Braves. Choosing the right option at third base could be crucial in the outcome of the Atlanta Braves’ playoff hopes. The Atlanta Braves best option is a veteran with eight years of Major League Baseball experience. He is currently with the Braves Minor League Triple-A affiliate, and his name is Yuli Gurriel.

Yuli Gurriel has played eight years in the majors between the Houston Astros and the Miami Marlins. Over that eight-year span Gurriel produced consistent numbers and his average WAR over that span measured at 1.35. Furthermore, Yuli Gurriel has a career OPS of .766. The major league average for OPS is .766, so Yuli Gurriel has been an above average offensive player during his career. Gurriel also has a career batting average of .281, which is .31 points higher than the league average, which is .250. Finally, Gurriel has a career on-base-percentage (OBP) of .326, and the league average sits around .320-.350. Throughout his career, Gurriel has put up above average offensive numbers, and with the Atlanta Braves offensive struggle, it could be well worth it to plug a consistent bat into the lineup.

Yuli Gurriel is currently playing for the Braves minor league affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers. While he is not playing in the majors right now, he is putting up stellar numbers in this AAA league. Gurriel is slashing .292/.378/.485 with an impressive OPS of .863. It goes without saying that Gurriel is playing some of the best baseball of his career this year down on the farm. With the roller coaster ride the Braves have been on this year they could use a veteran presence in the clubhouse while they make a run at the national league east title. I understand the difference between major league pitching and minor league pitching, but Gurriel has obviously figured out his swing and it is time to give that swing a chance at the hot corner in Atlanta.

The competition for Gurriel right now comes to Atlanta from a former Detroit player. The Braves have signed third basemen Gio Urshela from the Tigers. While Urshela has put together a solid career, Gurriel has produced superior numbers throughout his career. Urshela has spent around the same time in Major League Baseball as Gurriel, and Urshela’s career slash line stands at .273/.318/.412, while Gurriel’s stands at .281/.326/.440. Gurriel has put together better numbers than Urshela in every single offensive category, and his OPS also ranks .36 points higher than Urshela’s average. The Braves need a consistent bat in the lineup and the numbers do not lie, Gurriel has put up better numbers throughout his career than Urshela, and Gurriel is playing the best baseball of his career right now.

Yuli Gurriel is forty years old, and some people question bringing up a player that is older because of the possiblity of injury. Still, the Braves have their franchise third baseman in Austin Riley who is returning to action in 6-8 weeks once his wrist fracture heals. All I am suggesting is that the Braves bring Gurriel to fill the hole at third base during Austin Riley’s absence, and once the playoffs come around Yuli Gurriel could be a solid bat off the bench in late innings. Yuli Gurriel is Atlanta’s best option to fill third base, and he needs to be up from minor leagues immediately.

Bonner is a player on the LaGrange College baseball team and is also a political science major. His advisor is Professor John A. Tures, a Cobb County Courier contributor.