Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said before the game he would be surprised if tensions resurfaced in the series finale against the Nationals on Wednesday, the day after benches cleared when Bryce Harper reacted to being hit by a Julio Teheran pitch.
“I think the way (umpire) Joe West handled it — we played another five innings, and nothing happened,” Gonzalez said. “I think those things are boys being boys and sandlot, playground stuff. I think it’s going to be baseball as normal.”
Harper assumed that Teheran retaliated for Harper’s long look at the home run he hit two innings before, though Teheran maintained he was trying to pitch inside.
There were matters to address Wednesday, though, and Braves general manager Frank Wren responded to one of them. The Braves official twitter account had tweeted “Clown move bro” during Tuesday’s game, referencing Harper’s well-documented response to a reporter’s question last year. The tweet prompted a response from @Nationals saying, “Which part, giving up the home run, or drilling the 20-year-old on the first pitch his next time up?”
“I think it was simply an inappropriate attempt at humor from our social-media department,” Wren said. “And it doesn’t reflect how we feel or how we want to do business or who we are. You shouldn’t ever be directing anything unless it’s positive or uplifting at another team or opponent. I think that’s kind of plain and simple.”
Wren said he hadn’t reached out to the Nationals on the Braves’ behalf, but would if he ran into Nationals GM Mike Rizzo.
Twitter was the cause of another issue after a photo circulated that showed McCann flashing a sign with only his middle finger showing when Harper was at the plate. McCann said he had two fingers down, but his index finger was blacked out.
“I hope those guys know it was photoshopped,” said McCann, who spoke to at least one Nationals player during batting practice. “I wouldn’t do that.”
McCann doesn’t have a Twitter account, and he pointed to Tuesday’s misunderstanding as another reason why.
“That’s why I don’t deal with Twitter or Facebook,” McCann said. “Stuff is pointless. It gives people a voice to do whatever they want to do. That’s why I don’t get involved in it.”
Heyward returns: Jason Heyward left Nationals Park on Tuesday night saying he would try to talk his way back into the Braves' lineup for the series finale, and he did. Heyward left Tuesday's game in the first inning with a muscle strain in his neck, after feeling a spasm in the back of his head after taking a swing in the first inning.
But Heyward had only a slight headache after the game and said he woke up Wednesday feeling better. He sent Gonzalez a text message in the middle of the day and was back in the lineup batting leadoff and playing right field.
Heyward missed six games in and around the All-Star break after straining his hamstring July 11. He was determined not to miss more time.
He’s set the tone during the Braves’ 12-game win streak, batting .333 (12-for-36) in 10 games since Gonzalez moved him to the leadoff spot.
“I want to be in every game I can,” Heyward said. “It’s a fun time of year for us, big time of year for us. Every win counts right now, we want to keep it going.”
Health updates: Catcher Gerald Laird spent Wednesday afternoon working out with the Single-A Rome Braves, getting his first baseball activity since undergoing a procedure to remove kidney stones last week. Laird plans to play a minor league rehabilitation game Friday with Triple-A Gwinnett, and if all goes well, he'll be activated Saturday.
Jordan Schafer went 1-for-18 in the first four games of his minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Gonzalez said the plan was for Schafer to play at least through Thursday with Gwinnett, maybe Friday, and be activated Saturday. Schafer is recovering from a stress fracture which he suffered when he fouled a ball off his right ankle June 26 in Kansas City.
“He missed almost six weeks,” Gonzalez said. “His legs are fine. He just needs to get his timing back.”
Paul Maholm threw side sessions Sunday and Tuesday, working up to about 50 pitches. He’ll throw an extended bullpen session Friday and then could either throw a simulated game or go on to pitch a minor league rehabilitation game.
“It’s pretty much normal,” Maholm said of his left wrist. “I just have to build back up and be ready to come in and go 90-plus pitches and not come in and be a burden on the bullpen.”
