Over the course of this year’s Spring Training, a number of players have appeared to take the lead in the race for the last Atlanta Braves bench spot.
Unfortunately, one of those players will now have to bow out of the race prematurely. On Thursday, the team announced that infielder/outfielder Micah Johnson will have to undergo surgery to repair a fractured left wrist.
Braves OF Micah Johnson To Undergo Surgery: pic.twitter.com/l2AHXDCxZb
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 16, 2017
The injury occurred on an impressive catch during Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Mauricio Cabrera got Pedro Florimon to lift a ball into shallow left.
Johnson came charging in and dove, catching the ball at full extension. As he landed, though, the 26-year-old’s wrist appeared to buckle and he turned over on his left shoulder doing a full roll. As he came to a stop, Johnson shook off his glove and clutched his arm.
The initial diagnosis was a sprain but additional scans revealed the fracture.
Originally a member of the Chicago White Sox organization, Johnson was shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the three-team trade involving Todd Frazier. After one year with the Dodgers organization, Atlanta acquired the versatile Indiana University product in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.
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While Johnson was by no means guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, he did stand a realistic chance. Now, with him out of the picture, it becomes increasingly likely that journeyman and familiar face Emilio Bonifacio will snag that spot.
Even though he’ll begin the season on the shelf, Johnson could still play a role on the big league squad in 2017. He’s appeared in the majors in each of the last two seasons and can play all over the field.
Once he recovers, there’s a good chance he’ll be at the top of the depth chart among Atlanta’s reserves.
Scott Ferris covers the Braves as a Staff Writer for Outside Pitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter @ScottHFerris
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