PHILADELPHIA — Double-A Mississippi has a dynamic duo at the top of their batting order after Braves rehabbing center fielder Mallex Smith came off the disabled list and joined that playoff-bound minor league affiliate.
Smith, batting leadoff in front of top Braves second-base prospect Ozzie Albies, went 5-for-6 with a triple, four RBIs, a walk and a stolen base in wins Thursday and Friday against Biloxie in the first games of a season-ending five-game series before the playoffs. He was 3-for-3 with a triple and a walk Friday.
Meanwhile, Albies went 4-for-8 in those two games with a home run Thursday and two doubles and two RBIs Friday.
These were the first two games for Smith since the rookie outfielder’s left thumb was broken June 19 when hit by a fastball from Mets left-hander Antonio Bastardo. Smith hit .272 with a .778 OPS in his last 42 games before the incident, and led the Braves with 14 stolen bases and a .349 average with runners in scoring position at the time he went on the DL.
Smith would’ve played his first rehab game for the Gulf Coast League rookie-league Braves in Florida, but with Hurricane Hermine approaching Florida a couple of days ago the organization decided to get him out of Florida and to another minor league affiliate to be assured he’d get to play.
Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said there’s no timetable for Smith to rejoin the major league team. He said after being sidelined 10 weeks, they might keep Smith at Double-A Mississippi and let him play some or all of the team’s postseason games before adding him to the expanded major league September roster.
“They’re going to be in the playoffs,” Snitker said. “There’ll be some extra games, which will be good for him.”
Snitker said the Braves would probably add “two or three more” players to their September roster after Triple-A Gwinnett is done with its season and probably its playoff run. The Braves haven’t said who else they’ll add, but with Albies headed to the Arizona Fall League in mid-October they might not add him to the September roster.
