At least one Braves reunion is off the board for a reason no one expected

While the Atlanta Braves love to bring back their former players later on in their careers, that does not look to be the case with veteran utility infielder Ehire Adrianza. Over the holiday, Adrianza announced over his Instagram account that he is retiring from baseball after a 12-year career in the big leagues. Adrianza was part of the 2021 World Series champion in Atlanta and played for five other MLB teams.

After leaving the Braves for the second time after the 2023 MLB season, Adrianza played very briefly for the Los Angeles Angels. He played for the San Francisco Giants, the Minnesota Twins and the Washington Nationals in his 12-year career out of his native Venezuela. While mostly a utility infielder in his career, Adrianza's steadiness in the field and timely hitting helped give him a long MLB career.

In his outgoing message, Adrianza seems incredibly grateful for the opportunities he has received.

“I still find it hard to believe that I have had the honor of playing more than a decade in the major leagues. I never imagined I would achieve so much, and it’s astonishing to reflect on this experience.”

Up to this point of the offseason, the Braves have not made any moves that really move the needle. The biggest thing they have done up to this point is to let their former All-Star pitcher Max Fried walk to the New York Yankees on a massive eight-year deal. Atlanta was never going to pay him what the Yankees did. As for Adrianza, the last two years probably indicated to him that it was time to retire.

In 12 MLB seasons, Adrianza hit .237 with 22 home runs and 151 runs batted in with five franchises.

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Ehire Adrianza retires, making another Atlanta Braves reunion impossible

What I remember the most about Adrianza's two stints with the Braves was that it was synonymous with winning. There were times when he was called upon to man an infield position when the Braves were beaten up physically. His play was never really anything to write home about, but his ability to stick with the Braves to some extent during the apex of their current run demonstrated his value for them.

See, these glue guys are necessary to building and sustaining winning excellence. Being eager to play whenever they can just goes to show that every at-bat, every pinch run and every defensive substitution matters a great deal. I felt that whenever Adrianza was out there for the Braves, the bottom was never going to fall out. Being able to still win when the odds are against you is important.

Ultimately, Adrianza will go down in Braves lore for simply being part of the 2021 World Series championship team. The guys who were part of the 1995 squad have benefited in the same way. Atlanta does a great job of taking care and incorporating its alumni into what they do. Adrianza may have played elsewhere in his career as well, but he will always have a special place in Braves Country.

Congratulations on a spectacular career and Braves Country wishes you the very best in retirement!