Ozzie Albies will return to the Atlanta Braves’ lineup Friday night and will see his first action since exiting Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles after he fouled a ball off his knee.
“He probably could have played yesterday after we worked him out,” Snitker said before Friday’s game in Colorado. “I think everybody just kind of felt like it would be better to give him one more day. He should be really good to go today.”
The team initially feared the worst as Albies had to be carried off the field, but X-rays came back negative and he is back after just a two game absence.
“He went through a pretty vigorous workout yesterday and hit extra after that and felt really good,” Snitker added. “I think we probably dodged a bullet there and it will be good to get him back out there.”
Albies is hitting .259/.317/.482 with 23 home runs and a 110 wRC+. He has appeared in 130 games this season and never wants to take a day off.
“He’s a gamer who wants to play,” Snitker said of Albies. “He wants to be in there every day. Hopefully yesterday was the last game he misses the rest of the year.”
Adam Duvall will make his second straight start in centerfield Friday. Duvall has come through in some big moments since returning to Atlanta at the deadline. He homered in the series opener and gave the Braves a 6-5 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
“It has just been so good to get him back here, Snitker said of Duvall. “He’s added a lot since he’s gotten back and I just kind of feel like this is where he belongs.”
Duvall has appeared in — games and is hitting .206/.292/.467 with eight home runs in 120 plate appearances with Atlanta.
Snitker also said that a couple of relievers will be down for tonight’s game. While he didn’t disclose who that would be, Luke Jackson has pitched in three of the last four games and seems like a good candidate for a day of rest. Jackson has been a key piece of the bullpen of late allowing 10 hits and two runs over his last 15 games. He has 19 strikeouts and six walks in 14 1/3 innings during that span. Richard Rodriguez has pitched in two straight games while Tyler Matzek has made appearances in two of the last three.