The Atlanta Braves will need to make a handful of tough decisions this winter, with some players heading toward free agency.
It was a tough year for the Braves that saw the club deal with a plethora of injuries. Atlanta fought through and still was able to earn a playoff spot. The Braves lost some important pieces and had to continuously add throughout the season to stay afloat.
One player the club brought in was former Cleveland Guardians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers utility man Gio Urshela. He filled in at shortstop and third base and did a solid job for the Braves.
He will be a free agent this winter, though, and FanSided's Eric Cole predicted that the partnership between Urshela and the Braves won't continue into the 2025 season and beyond.
"Gio Urshela," Cole said. "Add Urshela to the list of unlikely 2024 Braves, as Atlanta signed him following the loss of Austin Riley. It was fortunate that he had been released by the Tigers when he was, as Urshela performed well in the field during his short time with the Braves and gave them a .711 OPS in 136 plate appearances along the way.
"Unfortunately, Riley's return next season is going to take away the opportunity for playing time, and Urshela is likely to look for a more fruitful opportunity (both in terms of dollars and playing time) in free agency this offseason."
Urshela never was going to be a long-term solution for the Braves, but the club certainly made the right decision to bring him in when they did.
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