Downs day-to-day with broken finger

Braves left-hander Scott Downs suffered a fracture of the ring finger on his right hand Saturday night on a line drive back to the mound from Chase Utley.

By virtue of the fact that it’s his non-pitching hand, the Braves are considering it a day-to-day thing.

“We’ll play it by ear,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “I think he could put his hand in a glove and play with a little bit of a splint or something to tape it up. I think he’ll be fine. We’re just going to call it day to day. I spoke to him before I did the press conference here and he goes ‘We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and go from there.’”

The Braves are already playing short a veteran set-up man with Jordan Walden still nursing a groin strain. Walden has played some catch and might throw a bullpen before this seven-game trip is through, but he’s not close yet to returning.