Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II will serve as the team's designated hitter over the next week while recovering from a left quad injury. The team discussed placing him on the injured list but opted against it for now. Manager Walt Weiss emphasized daily monitoring to prevent worsening.
Michael Harris II tweaked his left quad on April 23 while running to second base on a double against the Nationals. The 2022 National League Rookie of the Year was scratched from the lineup the following night but later hit a pinch-hit, game-winning double. He acted as designated hitter for the next two games and played center field in the first two games of the Tigers series before pinch-hitting in Thursday's 5-2 loss to Detroit. Braves manager Walt Weiss stated, “We're going to be communicating with Michael every day, and if that thing starts to take a turn for the worse, obviously, we’ll [put him on the injured list]. But it feels good enough right now to go out there and take at-bats.” Weiss hopes Harris can primarily serve as DH during the upcoming nine-game road trip starting Friday against the Rockies, followed by series against the Mariners and Dodgers. “It’s easier to control the effort level on the offensive side than it is on the defensive side,” Weiss added. “You saw him [Wednesday night] running down balls in the gap. You're really rolling the dice there.” Despite early-season struggles, Harris has hit .407 with five home runs and a 1.182 OPS over his last 17 games since April 10. Eli White and Mauricio Dubon are the leading options to cover center field until Harris returns to defensive duties.