Braves outfielder Michael Harris II was pulled from the game after his plate appearance in the first inning with lower back tightness. Eli White took over his spot in the lineup, playing left field. Mauricio Dubón switched from left to center field.
Harris walked and later scored on a Dubón RBI single. It’s possible that the injury took place sometime during that sequence.
Entering Tuesday, the 25-year-old had been having a resurgence season after a couple of down years. In 67 games, he slashed .303/.337/.512 with an .849 OPS.
Braves fans may have to wait for the outfielder to be back in action. The official team account gave an update on his status during their game versus the San Francisco Giants.
Atlanta is reaping all the benefits of Harris’ performance on the field. The club is 46-25, first in the National League East and has the best record in the MLB.
Superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is already on the shelf with a hamstring strain, so the Braves would be spread thin if Harris is out for a prolonged period. It would likely mean that White would be seeing a lot more playing time.
The now 31-year-old has been a league average bat in limited action this season. He has played in 41 games, with three home runs and a .712 OPS.
White is more of a defensive player for the club. He is solid in the corner outfield spots (four defensive runs saved this season, per FanGraphs). His 87 plate appearances in the 41 games suggests that he is often a late-game defensive replacement.
The good news is that for the moment, “lower back tightness” is a sigh of relief for the club. It doesn’t sound like too much of a problem for Harris.
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That being said, he dealt with some injuries in 2023 and 2024. Atlanta will hope this is just a bump in the road in what has otherwise been a great year for Harris.
If it does come to him missing some time, the club will be down its two clear-cut best outfielders. It’s unclear as of yet if Harris will miss time or not.
The Braves host the Giants from Tuesday through Thursday, and then welcome the National League Central leader Milwaukee Brewers to town for the weekend.
