Braves center fielder Cristian Pache left Tuesday’s 14-8 loss to the Marlins with left-groin tightness. He will be placed on the injured list, manager Brian Snitker said after the game.
“He’s going to have to be IL’d,” Snitker said. “He’d had a little problem a couple days ago. We let him sit yesterday. But we’re going to have to take care of it.”
Pache was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts before exiting in the fifth inning. The 22-year-old is experiencing his first full major-league season as the team’s primary center fielder. Veteran Ender Inciarte replaced him in the game, going 0-for-2 with a walk.
Snitker said the team will announce its corresponding move Wednesday. Promoting veteran Guillermo Heredia would be a logical move, as he’s the only other outfielder on the Braves’ 40-man roster. Heredia, 30, has hit .239/.316/.344 in his five-year major-league career. He appeared in 15 games last season for the Pirates and Mets, going 7-for-33 with two homers and five RBIs.
The Braves dropped to 4-7 after Tuesday’s loss. They’re on a three-game losing streak for the second time this season.
