Braves recall Nacho Alvarez Jr., sign veteran Whit Merrifield after Albies wrist injury

“You can’t make this stuff up,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

The Braves said after Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals that Albies is expected to be out for eight weeks with a broken left wrist. Albies was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday. The team hopes Albies avoids surgery.

“They put him in a cast and it’s clean,” Snitker said.

The Braves sent outfielder Eli White to Triple-A Gwinnett after Sunday’s game. To make room on the 40-man roster for Merrifield, outfielder Forrest Wall was designated for assignment.

Philadelphia fired Merrifield on July 12. Merrifield was a versatile player with the Phillies, but his experience at second base is especially important as the Braves look to replace Albies for at least the remainder of the regular season.

Even before Merrifield’s accident during infield drills, the Braves had Alvarez starting at second base and batting second.

“Put him in with the guy,” Snitker said. “His swing is hot, so why not?”

Alvarez, 21, hit .336 with seven home runs in 28 games after being promoted to Gwinnett on June 12. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft.

“Almost two years after I got drafted, here I am,” Alvarez said, adding that he reacted to the news of his promotion to the majors with “probably 10 minutes of straight-up tears” in a phone call with his parents.

Alvarez, a native of Fontana, California, said the only negative was that his parents canceled their flight to Atlanta on Monday and they had trouble finding another flight to watch his major league debut.

Alvarez played shortstop in the minor leagues, but said he played second base for three years in high school and didn’t expect to have any trouble making the transition.

“At the end of the day, it’s just baseball,” Alvarez said.

Merrifield, 35, batted .199 in 53 games for the Phillies, including 20 as a left fielder, 12 at second base and eight at third base.

The Braves will pay Merrifield $278,495, a prorated share of the major league minimum of $740,000. The Phillies will cover the remainder of his $7 million salary plus a $1 million buyout of his 2025 option.

Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia made 43 starts at second base for Atlanta in 2021. The Braves value Arcia’s defense at shortstop, so their focus has been on finding other ways to replace Albies. Merrifield could be seen as insurance if Alvarez struggles in the transition.

Albies was injured while trying to catch a pitch as Michael Siani stole second base in the ninth inning on Sunday. Siani slid into Albies as the infielder reached for the ball and bent his glove hand back at an awkward angle.

Zack Short replaced Albies in Sunday’s game.

Albies is the third Atlanta starting starter to be sidelined for a significant period of time due to injury. Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a knee injury in May that sidelined him for the season. Center fielder Michael Harris II, who replaced Acuna as leadoff hitter, was placed on the 10-day IL on June 14 with a left hamstring injury and has not yet been cleared for a rehab assignment.

Earlier Sunday, All-Star left-hander Max Fried went on the 15-day injured list with forearm neuritis, an inflammation of the nerves, in a move retroactive to Thursday. Ace right-hander Spencer Strider underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in April.

“It’s been a challenge,” Snitker said of the injuries for the Braves, who are second in the NL East after winning the division the past six years. “This year was a little different. … It’s never easy. You have to push through a lot of adversity.”

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