The Braves are expected to designate Dan Uggla for assignment prior to Sunday's game. The club has yet to announce a corresponding move after calling up Phil Gosselin late Saturday, but the expectation is that Uggla will lose his roster spot. It's possible that he'll be traded, but either way the Braves figure to DFA him first. The move is long overdue, as Uggla is barely playing anymore, going just 1-for-20 with eight strikeouts since May 23. The Braves had been holding out only because the second baseman is due roughly $19 million through the end of next season. Someone will take a shot on Uggla, but with a .175/.295/.332 batting line since the beginning of last season, it's hard to bet on him turning it around.

Making his first start since May 23, Dan Uggla went 0-for-4 and committed two errors in the loss to the Diamondbacks on Saturday. Well, what the heck did Fredi Gonzalez expect? Uggla hadn't started a game in 16 days. He'd had just two plate appearances in the 15-day span, the previous one coming on May 30. The idea that Uggla will be of any use as a role player is crazy. If he were in the last year of his deal, the Braves likely would have released him by now. However, it's harder for them to say goodbye while still owing him $13 million in 2015. Really, though, they need to do it anyway. Even if he's not completely finished as a ballplayer, he's useless to them as is.

MLB.com's Mark Bowman writes that "it appears the Braves are planning to continue giving Ramiro Pena and Tyler Pastornicky time at second over the next couple of weeks." That means more of the bench for Dan Uggla, who has started just five of the last nine games. Tommy La Stella could also eventually get a look. For what it's worth, manager Fredi Gonzalez wouldn't confirm Uggla has been benched, saying "just see how it goes." Bowman adds that the Braves have considered releasing Uggla, but "have moved away from the thought" for now. Uggla has hit just .180/.297/.345 since the beginning of last season.

Dan Uggla is in Tuesday's lineup against the Cardinals. Uggla, who is currently in a 3-for-31 slump, sat in favor of Ramiro Pena on Monday. Time could be running out for him to keep his starting job.

Dan Uggla's second homer of the game was a ninth-inning grand slam to lead the Braves to a 9-6 win over the Phillies on Monday. Uggla was hitting .195 with no homers and a 12/1 K/BB ratio in 41 at-bats this season before redeeming himself tonight. He had the middle of back-to-back-to-back homers with Evan Gattis and Andrelton Simmons in the eighth and, after a disastrous bottom of the eighth from Luis Avilan, he got the Braves their lead back with the slam in the top of the ninth. It was his third career slam in 97 at-bats with the bases loaded.

Dan Uggla hit his third homer and tripled in his two at-bats against the Astros on Monday. Uggla, staying very busy this spring, is hitting .273 with a 13/9 K/BB ratio through 33 at-bats. He's not going to hit for average in the regular season, but if the homers and walks are there, the Braves will keep playing him regularly.

Dan Uggla homered again Tuesday, finishing up 2-for-3 against the Phillies. Uggla has homered in back-to-back games versus the Phillies and is now 7-for-22 this spring. Not that there was any real doubt about him opening the season as a starter, but a strong spring would help his margin for error in April.

Dan Uggla hit his first homer, walked and struck out in his three plate appearances Monday in the Braves' 8-1 defeat of the Phillies. Uggla hit all of the true outcomes. The home run, which was launched to left field, was especially true. He's now 5-for-19 with six walks and eight strikeouts for the spring. There's probably no way he's hitting .250-.260 this season, but with his eyes fixed and his swing looking a bit quicker, a rebound to .220-.230 is possible.

Dan Uggla, trying to rebound from a season in which he hit .179, went 2-for-2 with an RBI against the Tigers on Wednesday. Uggla went his final 37 starts and 42 appearances last year without ever collecting multiple hits. His previous two-hit game came on July 24, 2013.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Yankees have no interest in trading for Braves second baseman Dan Uggla. The Yankees are now forced to explore the market to fill the void at second base left by Robinson Cano's departure, but Uggla won't be one of the names they consider. Omar Infante is believed to be the preferred option for the Bombers.