Braves bring back OF Matt Diaz

Atlanta Braves

Photos: Outfielder / pinch hitter Matt Diaz returns to Braves, Aug. 2011.

He's baaaack: The Braves re-acquired popular outfielder Matt Diaz from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in a trade for a player to be named later. - David O'Brien, AJC

Diaz, 33, hit .305 with 41 homers and a .353 on-base percentage in five seasons with the Braves through 2010, serving mainly as a bench player and pinch-hitter. - David O'Brien, AJC

The Braves made the waiver trade before Tuesday's deadline for Diaz to be eligible for the postseason roster. - David O'Brien, AJC

The amiable Florida native was popular in the Braves clubhouse and the Atlanta community, but the Braves aren't bringing him back just because he got along so well with everybody. He can help them pinch-hitting and play some against left-handed pitchers. - David O'Brien, AJC

"Headed back to Atlanta," Diaz said on Twitter. "Enjoyed playing with the Pirate players so much. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Time to go back back home." - David O'Brien, AJC

The Braves rank dead last in the National League in average (.227) and OBP (.296) against lefties. Their pinch-hitters are also 12th in the NL with a .196 average, though they lead the league with eight homers. Diaz (right) is 11-for-44 as a pinch-hitter this season, and he's hit .295 (31-for-105) against lefties. - David O'Brien, AJC

He was a force against lefty pitching during his years with the Braves, with a gaudy .369 average and .975 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) against them during the 2007-2009 seasons. He had 17 homers in 396 at-bats against lefties in that period. - David O'Brien, AJC

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He's baaaack: The Braves re-acquired popular outfielder Matt Diaz from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday in a trade for a player to be named later. - David O'Brien, AJC

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