ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves have reinstated catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the injured list after he completed a rehab assignment.
D’Arnaud, who batted seventh in Atlanta’s lineup for Wednesday’s home game against the Cincinnati Reds, missed 86 games with a left thumb sprain. He was placed on the injured list May 2.
“I’m super excited,” d’Arnaud said. “It’s been a long 3 1/2 months. To come back with the guys trending upward is super exciting. I’m very fortunate.”
Entering Wednesday’s game, Braves catchers had combined to hit .180 with a .537 on-base plus slugging percentage this season, both of which ranked last in Major League Baseball.
Atlanta catchers hit .299 with an .862 OPS last season, thanks largely to d’Arnaud winning a Silver Slugger award with a career-best .321 batting average and leading all catchers in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and RBIs.
“Rehab went well, no setbacks,” d’Arnaud said. “Fortunately, I was surrounded by the right people and they kept me in the right state of mind. Now I’m back up here with another great group of guys to go out and battle with.”
To make room for d’Arnaud on the roster, catcher Kevan Smith was designated for assignment.
D’Arnaud, in his second season with the Braves, said he is thrilled to rejoin the team in the thick of a pennant race. The three-time reigning division champions began Wednesday one game behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.
Alongside outfielders Ronald Acuña Jr. and Marcell Ozuna, second baseman Ozzie Albies and first baseman Freddie Freeman, the NL MVP, d’Arnaud was a cog in the 2020 lineup that led the Braves to Game 7 of the NL Championship Series before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who went on to win the World Series.
Acuña is out for the season with a knee injury and Ozuna is sidelined because of domestic abuse charges, but Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos acquired Adam Duvall, Joc Pederson and Jorge Soler to give the lineup more power. Albies, Freeman, third baseman Austin Riley and shortstop Dansby Swanson have plenty of home run potential, too.
“Even without Ronnie in there, it’s a threat,” d’Arnaud said. “One through nine – I’ll put the pitchers in there, too – has a real chance to do some damage.”