Braves activate Norton off DL

Manager Bobby Cox said the Braves needed to strengthen the bench and were encouraged by Norton’s rehab stint at Gwinnett, where he hit .324 with a homer and 10 RBIs in 12 games.

“When we broke camp, our bench was strong,” Cox said. “But now [Martin] Prado’s playing every day and [Omar] Infante’s on the disabled list. So we’ve got to get Norton back on there and let him win some games late for us with his bat.”

Until he saw his name on the card, Norton thought he might be unemployed at the All-Star break.

“No one’s told me yet,” he said, smiling as he played catch before batting practice. “Buttsy [bullpen catcher Alan Butts] just said ‘congratulations’ when I was hitting in the cage.”

When he saw his name on the card, Norton called his wife to tell her, after she had just dropped him off at the ballpark. The Nortons live in Denver, and when the Braves brought him to Colorado after his rehab stint expired, he thought they might be prepared to release him.

Norton, 36, was 4-for-48 (.098) before going on the disabled list on June 11 with a right ankle strain, including 4-for-33 as a pinch hitter.

Last season, he was one of baseball’s top pinch hitters, going 18-for-57 (.316) with a Braves-record three homers and 18 RBIs in the role. He hit .262 overall with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 187 overall at-bats for Seattle and Atlanta.

At Gwinnett, he worked on his swing while getting more playing time in left field and first base.

“I think I had about as many plate appearances in those 12 games as I had all year here,” said Norton, who was 12-for-37 with three walks and a .366 on-base percentage at Gwinnett.

Medical update

Yunel Escobar (strained back) missed his third consecutive start Sunday. Cox said he had progressed and was available off the bench, and he’s expected back in the lineup when play resumes Thursday after the All-Star break. ... First baseman Casey Kotchman missed a second start with flu symptoms.