After going 1-for-5 with a single in his first game back with the Braves on Saturday, outfielder Michael Bourn wasn’t in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Marlins and left-hander Brad Hand.
Bourn is likely to get most playing time in left field the rest of the season, and could get some starts in his regular center-field position, but Jonny Gomes was in the lineup in left Sunday.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez has used Gomes in a left-field platoon for most of the season, but the Braves haven’t faced as many lefties as they have in recent years. For now, Gonzalez plans to keep playing Gomes against lefties.
“Yeah, that was the plan from the very beginning,” Gonzalez said. “You’ve got two right-handers in Tampa (two-game series vs. Rays Tuesday and Wednesday) and the off day (Thursday), so Bourny will get those two guys. But every once in a while – I told Michael, it’s not a platoon. I’ll figure a way to maybe get somebody else out of the lineup and play him someplace else. And also try to continue to play Jonny against left-handed pitching.”
Gomes, 34, is having the least-productive season of his career, batting .211 with four homers, 15 RBIs and a .637 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) in 200 plate appearances before Sunday, including .232 (13-for-56) against lefties with two homers and a .416 OBP and .357 slugging percentage.
He does have a .280 average (7-for-25) and two homers as a pinch-hitter, and there’s a chance Gomes could be traded this month to a contender looking to add a veteran right-handed bat and the clubhouse leadership for which he’s known.
With the Friday trade that brought outfielders Bourn and Nick Swisher from Cleveland, the Braves suddenly have a crowded outfield. Swisher is playing first base until Freddie Freeman returns from the disabled list, but as things stand it could be tough to find playing time for all the outfielders once Freeman gets back.
