Freddie Freeman Exits vs. Phillies After Suffering Wrist Injury on HBP

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies after being hit by a pitch. 

Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported he was hit around the same spot as the wrist injury he suffered last season. 

Unfortunately for Freeman, it's the second time in as many seasons he's been banged up to a noteworthy degree. The first came last May, when he suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left wrist after he was hit by a pitch. 

Now 17 appearances into the 2018 season, Freeman is hitting .288 with two home runs and 12 runs batted in for a Braves team on the rise. 

Should Freeman hit the shelf for an extended stretch again, the Braves will be hard-pressed to replace his pure power at the plate.

As far as a contingency is concerned, utility infielder Charlie Culberson should be in the mix to slide in and operate as the Braves' stopgap starter.