As they fight for their postseason chances, the Braves are getting support from unexpected sources

Then he continued.

“A lot of guys here have been successful and know what that looks like, and they know this isn't football season,” Merrifield told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If you lose a game, it's not the end of the year and it's not going to set you back. You're going to lose games. There's no panic. Even though we've been through some injuries, there just doesn't seem to be a lot of panic here. As an older player, you feel that when you come here. You get the feeling that it's a clubhouse that loves the game and knows what's going on, and that helps you take your foot off the gas a little bit and just settle in.”

Despite all the injuries, the Braves are five games behind the Phillies – Merrifield's former team – on Saturday. Atlanta is in the third wild card spot in the National League.

To achieve this goal, the Braves needed the help of Merrifield, Gio Urshela and Ramón Laureano – three players who were slated for assignment by other teams at the beginning of the season.

Would you have expected this in the spring? It couldn't have been possible.

But here we are. And somehow the Braves are finding a way to stay afloat.

Yes, they have used players that have not worked out here. But they are getting significant contributions from the three mentioned above. They all play every day.

One reason for this is that there is a positive atmosphere in the Braves' locker room. New players feel comfortable there.

“And you know what, these guys have seen us from afar,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “They don't come here not knowing what to expect because we've played all these guys that we have. I think they're all excited to be a part of it.”

Merrifield has a better chance here. He can play every day – something he couldn't do with the Phillies. He hit .199 in 156 at-bats with the Phillies before they called him up.

While Ozzie Albies recovers from a broken wrist, Merrifield is now the second baseman playing every day, which has made all the difference for a guy who said things just didn't work out in Philadelphia.

“Well, that's why I said it didn't work out,” he said of playing time. “Where should I have played? I was hoping I could fill the role better. I knew what role I was going to fill — I just hoped I could fill it better. That was kind of my first time in that position. From the time I was there, I didn't do a good job when I got a chance to play. I only had 140, 150 at-bats. I could have had three or four good games in a row and now my numbers look pretty good. It's a lot.

“It just didn't seem like it was meant for me to be there. That's a shame because I really enjoyed it. I can't say anything bad about Philly. The people, the city, it was incredible when I was there. It just wasn't meant for me, so I'm glad to be here now.”

On Friday, Merrifield extended his season streak of on-base games to 17 games. Knowing he'll be in the lineup the next day helps Merrifield prepare his series. He can see more pitches in his first at-bat of a series, for example, to feel his way through those games. He doesn't feel like he has to do too much.

His double-play partner, Urshela, has fitted in well. Urshela was signed on Tuesday and has four hits in his first four games in Atlanta. He also plays excellent defense.

Braves fans have seen this before. Urshela and Merrifield have double-teamed Trea Turner – one of the game's fastest runners – on two consecutive nights. Merrifield called the first of those double plays “probably the best double play I've ever seen against a guy who can just be stubborn.”

The Braves received bad news on Monday: Austin Riley suffered a fracture of his right hand and will be out for six to eight weeks.

Urshela was a pleasant surprise.

“It was a huge win for us,” Chris Sale said. “He's a damn good ball player, on both sides – I've gotten to know him a little bit and obviously played against him a lot. But I thought it was a huge win just to have a guy like him as a backup. What he does defensively is unbelievable and he's not afraid to swing the ball either.”

Sale should know. He and Urshela were rivals when he pitched for the Red Sox and Urshela played for the Yankees.

Snitker even remembers watching Urshela in the minor leagues. And now, all these years later, Urshela is part of Snitker's Braves club – one that keeps fighting no matter what.

“But you know what, (Urshela is) a guy who gets another chance and takes it,” Snitker said. “He's been really good, and probably even better than I would have expected, on defense, (with) some of his plays. And big hits. I admire those guys. He's been in the major leagues for a while now and he's not a kid anymore and he's got a lot of experience. It's the same with Whit and Ramón. You get these guys who have a track record in the major leagues and it's good to use them.”