The Braves will welcome Andrelton Simmons back to their lineup tonight.
The shortstop missed the last six games in which the Braves went 2-4 after spraining his left ankle on Aug. 5 against the Mariners. Both Emilio Bonifacio and Ramiro Pena have started at shortstop for three games each in Simmons’ absence.
Simmons will bat seventh in the lineup — he’s batting .249 this season. He took batting practice and fielded groundballs on Monday and Tuesday and was eligible to come off the bench for the Braves in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Dodgers but did not play. On Monday Simmons said his ankle was still tender to the touch but that it felt good through jumping and lateral movements.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Simmons is good to go based on the last two days of batting practice and clearance from trainer Jeff Porter, but running the bases during a game will be the real test. The sprain occurred when Simmons’ foot caught the edge of the third-base bag while covering it.
“Maybe the first time he goes around first base and tweaks it,” Gonzalez said. “Good becomes good enough or good becomes, ‘Oh (expletive).’ But we’re hoping good good.”
Earlier this week Gonzalez said Porter had asked for Simmons to get a day off after his first start back. The quick turnaround from Wednesday’s night game (7:10 p.m. ET) to Thursday’s noon game could influence that decision. As of Wednesday afternoon, Gonzalez had not yet decided whether or not Simmons will play on Thursday in the Braves’ final game of their four-game series with the Dodgers.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll see if i can talk Bubba (Porter) into changing it.”
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