For the second year in a row, Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies sustained a significant left wrist injury.
Albies hurt the wrist when fouling back a pitch in the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Monday. He was replaced one pitch later by pinch hitter Nick Allen, who struck out.
The team subsequently announced that Albies fractured his hamate bone. He will miss the rest of the season, which concludes on Sunday.
He broke the same wrist last July and was out for two months before returning to play the final nine games.
Albies, 28, went 1-for-2 on Monday, giving him a .240 batting average to go with a .306 on-base percentage, a .365 slugging percentage, 16 homers and 74 RBIs in 157 games. He has started every game at second base for Atlanta this year.
A three-time All-Star star, Albies has a career batting line of .266/.320/.455 with 157 homers and 582 RBIs in 1,028 games over nine seasons.
The latest injury could impact the Braves’ pending decision regarding Albies’ future. Atlanta has a club option for $7 million for the 2026 season, with a $4 million buyout. If that option is picked up, the Braves would have another option for 2027 at $7 million with no buyout.
The Braves (74-83) will miss out on the postseason for the first time in eight years, but they are one of the hottest teams in the majors at the moment. They beat the Nationals 11-5 on Monday for their ninth consecutive win.
