Following Tuesday’s extraction of his abscessed tooth, Orlando Arcia was not at the ballpark Wednesday. The Braves allowed him to stay home while he recovers.
“They pulled the tooth, and there’s a lot of infection, and he’s not feeling real good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think they sent him some protein drinks and stuff like that so he can just get something in him. That’s gonna be another thing, too: He’s gonna go a few days, and he’s not gonna be able to chew or eat anything. He’s still pretty sore with the infection and everything, and the extraction of the tooth.”
Arcia on Wednesday was out of the lineup for the second time in as many days because of the abscessed tooth. On Tuesday, Arcia’s wife alerted the Braves to the issue.
Once again, Zack Short was in at shortstop for Wednesday’s game against the Giants. He was batting ninth again.
Because of the fact that he can’t chew, would Arcia need a conditioning period once he returns?
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Snitker said. “I know Ozzie (Albies) even said he had talked to him, and he wasn’t feeling very good, because there was evidently a lot of infection in there.”
The Braves, as Snitker mentioned, sent Arcia protein drinks to ensure he can still get nutrients while he cannot eat much real food. For his sake, hopefully Arcia begins to feel better.
Nacho Alvarez, who has been playing shortstop at Triple-A, was scratched from the Gwinnett Stripers’ lineup Wednesday. But Alvarez simply was under the weather.
When Snitker talked, it didn’t seem like the Braves would need to put Arcia on the injured list. They have Short and Luke Williams to give them infield coverage while Arcia heals.
In Wednesday’s win over the Giants, Short went 0-for-3. He’s batting .125 over 64 at-bats, for multiple teams, this year.
Harris runs for first time since the injury
When asked if he had started running yet, Michael Harris II was standing at his locker, in a Spider-Man headband, trying to wipe the sweat from his face.
“Judging off my sweat, I kind of just did a little bit of that for the first time on the field,” Harris said. “I felt good and just ready to take the next step forward.”
Harris (hamstring strain) has been on the injured list for around three weeks.
“He’s still a ways away from going out on any kind of rehab (assignment),” Snitker said. “But it’s good that he’s finally kind of headed in that direction.”
Last season, Harris suffered a back injury. He learned a lot about patience.
He can use those lessons now.
“I was so eager to get out there, and just knowing that you can’t rush it,” he said. “It’s a long season, so I guess the most important part is the end of the season, so just being 100% toward the end instead of just trying to get back quick and play some games and have a risk of re-injuring (it).”
One thing on Laureano
Snitker said Ramón Laureano – who had a back issue that has turned into an oblique issue – can’t run or swing yet. He’s feeling better, though.
“It’s good, but he’s still a ways away, with those things,” Snitker said. “As we know, they’re just so time-consuming.”
