The Braves reinstated catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the paternity list before Tuesday’s game against the Yankees. The team also optioned catcher William Contreras to Triple-A Gwinnett.
It’s been a busy few days for d’Arnaud, who signed a two-year extension late last week and also homered in his most recent game played. The d’Arnaud family welcomed a baby boy, Leo Emmanuel, into the world Monday.
D’Arnaud has impressed since returning from his 86-game absence because of a torn thumb ligament. He’s 7-for-25 with two homers in six games, resembling his form of a season ago, when d’Arnaud won a Silver Slugger award.
Contreras, one of the top catching prospects in the organization, was recalled as d’Arnaud’s replacement. He started Sunday, which was his first game in the majors since July 5. Contreras went 0-for-6 across two games, though he drew two walks Monday against the Yankees. He returns to Gwinnett, where he’s hitting .313 with a .951 OPS this season.
After spending months trying to fill the void left by d’Arnaud’s absence, the Braves’ catching situation has stabilized with his return. Veteran Stephen Vogt, acquired from Arizona in July, is d’Arnaud’s backup.
Braves notes:
- The Braves’ nine-game win streak ended Monday with a 5-1 loss to the Yankees. The Braves outscored their opponents 58-25 during their run. Their plus-88 run differential overall ranks fourth in the National League behind the Dodgers (plus-204), Giants (plus-142) and Brewers (plus-117).
- Entering Tuesday, the Braves haven’t lost consecutive games since July 17. They’re the only team to avoid consecutive defeats over that stretch (24-11).
- Despite sweeping the Orioles over the weekend, the Braves are only 6-13 in interleague play this season. That’s the fifth worst interleague record in baseball, with the only worse results belonging to struggling teams (Cubs, Rangers, Marlins and Diamondbacks). The Braves also are 1-8 against American League opponents at Truist Park. Tuesday’s game against the Yankees is their final interleague contest this season.
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