Another series win, Braves add a catcher, Ronald Acuña Jr. injury update
It was another busy day for the Braves, filled with mostly very good news. On the field, they wrapped up another series win, bludgeoning the Marlins pitching for nine runs behind two homers from Michael Harris II and another from Mike Yastrzemski. Spencer Strider did allow three home runs, but they were all solo shots […]
It was another busy day for the Braves, filled with mostly very good news.
On the field, they wrapped up another series win, bludgeoning the Marlins pitching for nine runs behind two homers from Michael Harris II and another from Mike Yastrzemski. Spencer Strider did allow three home runs, but they were all solo shots as he worked into the seventh inning and struck out nine batters — another promising outing as he continues to look like a much better pitcher than he was a year ago in his first season back from InternalBrace surgery.
The Braves lost the first game of the series 12-0, and the following morning it was announced that Drake Baldwin was heading to the IL with an oblique strain.
They went on to win the next three games and outscored the Marlins 26-20 for the series — a perfect microcosm of the next-man-up mentality this club has had since Opening Day.
There was one small concern during Thursday’s game, however, as Ronald Acuña Jr. left with a thumb injury. X-rays came back negative and he has been ruled day-to-day, but it’s yet another injury concern the Braves will have to monitor going forward.
Spoke with Ronald Acuña Jr. in Spanish postgame. He said he experienced tightness and wasn’t able to move his right thumb.
He also joked that he didn’t have to convince Walt Weiss to put him in tomorrow’s game. Otherwise, they would’ve had just four outfielders in the field.
— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) May 22, 2026
On the transaction wire, the Braves added a catcher, claiming Maverick Handley off waivers from the Orioles.
Handley has appeared in exactly one major-league game this season with one at-bat. Last year he played in 16 games for the Orioles, and the numbers were less than stellar — a .073 batting average and .207 OPS.
He has posted some respectable offensive numbers in Triple-A over the last two seasons, however. In five games this year he has an .879 OPS, and he posted a .740 OPS over 38 games last season.
But this is obviously not someone the Braves want catching every day. It’s debatable whether he’s even an upgrade over what the club currently has in Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon. This move was most likely made simply to add organizational depth at the position in case another injury surfaces.
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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
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