Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley is out for the foreseeable future. The Braves have a couple of backup plans in mind, including one who was caught cheating.

The Atlanta Braves suffered another devastating injury blow this weekend when Austin Riley was placed on the injured list after breaking his right hand. There is a good chance that Riley misses the rest of the regular season — or close to it — with the injury. It’s his second major setback this season, as he missed two weeks of action with a strained muscle near his ribs.

The Braves have overcome numerous injuries this season, including those of the season-ending variety to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider. Still, Atlanta is in a good position to make the postseason as an NL Wild Card team, and possess one of the best rotations in baseball even without Strider. Brian Snitker’s club could be dangerous should they reach October.

Riley’s injury is a setback, no question. When healthy he has been one of the more consistent contributors in a lineup that has left fans frustrated at times. Just last season, the Braves lineup tied the record for most home runs hit in a single season, and had a .501 slugging percentage overall. This year has been the complete opposite, but much of that tracks with injuries suffered across the board.

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How will the Atlanta Braves replace Austin Riley?

The Braves will replace Riley in-house first, as both Orlando Arcia and Luke Williams have experience at third base. However, Alex Anthopoulos acted swiftly on Tuesday morning, claiming Gio Urshela off waivers. Urshela had a down year for Detroit, but he is just one season removed from slashing .299/.329/.374 with the Angels. He had an OPS over .700 the last two seasons prior to signing with the Tigers.

Along with Urshela, who has pole position to get reps at third base once he’s up to speed with the Braves, Atlanta also signed Yuli Gurriel to a minor-league contract. He will report to Gwinnett.

Yuli Gurriel has a complicated past, and some obvious flaws

Yuli Gurriel’s complicated past starts in Houston, where he admitted to stealing signs as part of the Astros 2017 World Series run.

“No one put a gun to our head. It would be a lie to say that one or two people are responsible. We are all responsible,” Gurriel said.

While you have to appreciate his honesty, that’s not the only reason the Braves should’ve said pass on Gurriel. He also made a racial gesture towards Yu Darvish during Game 3 of the 2017 World Series. He was suspended as a result.

Even on the field, signing Gurriel is odd. He hasn’t played a game at third base since 2019, and he’s 40 years old. Last season with the Marlins, he had a .663 OPS with four home runs. Gurriel is better-suited as an assistant coach or advisor than a player these days, even in Triple-A.