Braves down to their third catcher with latest brutal injury news

It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Atlanta Braves, with injuries continuing to hurt the team. 

The spring campaign hasn’t quite been what the Atlanta Braves and their fans were hoping for thus far. Entering Sunday’s action, the team is 12-15 on the year and in fourth place of the NL East standings.

To make things worse for the club, injuries really have had a negative impact, with catcher continuing to take a hit. On Sunday, Atlanta placed both Travis d’Arnaud and Alex Jackson on the Injured List, leaving them with their third-string backstop getting ready to start.

Youngster William Contreras is set to start for the Braves at catcher

With d’Arnaud and Jackson out, 23-year-old catcher William Contreras will indeed be the one behind home plate for the Braves. Contreras, who made his MLB debut in July of 2020, is yet to appear in a game for Atlanta this season. That of course will change due to the team’s latest injuries.

In four games last season, Contreras made 10 plate appearances and recorded four hits. He added one RBI. While he’s showcased he’s got what it takes to put the ball in play when his number is called, the Braves really didn’t expect they’d need him to start this early in the season.

Again, injuries will happen, though, and Contreras will need to prove to skipper Brian Snitker that he’s up to the task. Contreras is getting the nod for the Braves on Sunday against the Blue Jays, as he no doubt is ready to show his manager what he’s made of. Long term, though, Atlanta needs d’Arnaud and Jackson to get healthy as soon as possible. The team needs them in order to potentially make a run at the postseason.