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The Braves announced Monday that theyve designated outfielder for a signment in order Noah Davis Jersey to open a spot for veteran catcher , whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Gwinnett. Fairchild, 29, has held a very limited role as a fourth outfielder with Atlanta this season. Hes appeared in 28 games and tallied only 55 plate appearances, during which hes slashed .216/.273/.333. Manager Brian Snitker has typically used Fairchild as a late defensive replacement or pinch-runner. Hes tallied two or fewer plate appearances in 20 of his 28 games. Its a familiar role for the fleet-footed Fairchild. The former second-round pick has appeared in 277 big league games between the D-backs, Reds, Mariners, Giants and Braves, but hes tallied only 670 plate appearances (about 2.4 per game) during that time. Hes capable of playing all three outfield spots at an average or better clip, sits in the 87th percentile of big leaguers in sprint speed, and offers slightly better-than-average production against left-handed pitching in his career. Hes a viable fourth outfielder, but hes out of minor league options and the Braves have a comparable skill set on the roster in . Leon joins and as a third catcher on Atlantas roster. His promotion to the majors will prompt immediate trade speculation about both Murphy and designated hitter . The Braves reportedly arent planning to trade Murphy at least not during the season but have been open to offers on Ozuna. Leons addition to the roster more freely allows Atlanta to start both Baldwin and Murphy in the same game (one at catcher, the other at designated hitter) without fear of losing the DH in the event of an injury. The 36-year-old Leon has played for seven different clubs in the majors, primarily as a backup. The Braves will be his eighth. He has a long track record of quality defense and (with the exception of an outlier 2016 season) well below-average production with the bat. Thats not likely to change at age 36, particularly given Leons bleak .183/.250/.379 batting line in 169 Triple-A plate appearances this season. Geoff Hartlieb Jersey |
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