MILWAUKEE (AP) Jorge Soler delivered one of the most memorable moments in Atlanta Braves history with his that sparked a The Braves would love to see him recreate that succe s as they prepare for another postseason run by reuniting members of that championship team. Soler, 32, led off and played right field Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, two days after the and reliever Luke Jackson another member of that 2021 team from San Francisco for reliever Tyler Matzek and minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos. I did think that one day Id probably come back, Soler said through a translator before Tuesdays game. But not as soon as Im back. Soler opened his second tenure with the Braves by going 0 for 3 , though he also had a two-out walk to load the bases in the seventh inning just before Austin Riley's tiebreaking two-run single put Atlanta ahead for good. This move came le s than a month after the Braves signed outfielder MVP of the Braves 2021 4-2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. and Jackson pitched 3 2/3 innings of scorele s relief in Atlantas 4-2 World Series triumph over Tom Cosgrove Jersey the Houston Astros. The moves continued general manager Alex Anthopoulos history of making big additions at the trade deadline. Three years ago, the Braves hadnt been above .500 all season when Anthopoulos acquired Rosario from Cleveland, Soler from Kansas City and outfielder Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs at the deadline. Those additions provided an . This time, Anthopoulos again wanted to spark a team competing for a seventh straight playoff berth after losing 2023 NL MVP and ace pitcher to season-ending injuries. The Braves are playing without injured second baseman center fielder and left-hander . They entered Wednesday leading the NL wild-card standings, though only a single game separated the top four teams. Anthopoulos said it was important for the front office to send a me sage of support by upgrading the roster. Im just grateful for the opportunity to be back and the fact he wants me around, Soler said. Even more so, Im just grateful that they gave me the opportunity in 21. Obviously things werent going well for me in Kansas City, and it feels like they brought me onto the team and kind of gave me another chance in baseball. Three years ago, Soler was batting .192 with a .658 OPS for Kansas City when the Braves acquired him. He hit .269 with a .358 on-base percentage, .524 slugging percentage, 14 homers and 33 RBIs in 55 games with Atlanta. Soler entered Wednesday hitting .240 with a .330 on-base percentage, 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 93 games. He was batting .275 with a .389 on-base percentage, nine homers and 15 RBIs in July. That recent surge made Soler appealing to the Braves, even though their roster construction makes him a somewhat awkward fit. Neither Soler nor Marcell Ozuna, who ranks second in the NL in OPS, had played a single game in the field this year before Wednesday. Manager Brian Snitker said he plans to keep Ozuna in a designated hitter role while playing Soler regularly in right field. I havent played in the outfield all year long, Soler said. Im excited and a little anxious. Soler also may have been feeling a little restle s after he and Jackson endured a weary day of travel. We had an 11 oclock flight that turned into a 1:30 that turned into a 5, Jackson said. The two teammates finally landed in Chicago and then took a car west before arriving in Milwaukee about 11:30 p.m. That didnt stop Snitker from putting Soler atop the lineup Wednesday. Soler posted a .380 on-base percentage and .866 OPS the 28 times he batted leadoff for the Giants this season. Braves leadoff hitters have combined to bat .235 with a .315 on-base percentage and .378 slugging percentage this season. Weve been struggling to score runs, Snitker said Tuesday. Hopefully he can come in and ignite this thing and try to do what he did last time he was here. AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed to this report. The story was corrected to show Acua was the 2023 MVP and that Soler's walk came in the seventh inning. Andy Benes Jersey
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