MIAMI – The Braves were down to one healthy catcher for Saturday night's game against the Marlins, but the situation wasn't as dire as that might sound.
With A.J. Pierzynski nursing a sore shoulder and Christian Bethancourt recovering from a jammed thumb, third catcher Ryan Lavarnway made his 15th start and first since Aug. 23.
Pierzynski was hit in the right shoulder by a foul tip in Friday’s game, but hadn’t been scheduled to start Saturday anyway with the Marlins pitching a left-hander. Bethancourt has not played since injuring his left thumb Sunday on a tag play.
After wearing a brace to immobilize the thumb for several days, Bethancourt increased his activities in Miami and could be back in the lineup soon.
“He keeps getting better. He could catch (now),” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said before Saturday’s game. “He swung yesterday for the first time, caught a little bullpen for the first time yesterday, and he’s getting better. He said it’s just when he swings, when he kind of rolls over (with the bat), it hurts him. But he’s getting better.”
Gonzalez hoped to have Pierzynski back for Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Marlins. Shelby Miller will be the Braves’ starting pitcher.
“(Pierzynski) is going to have to do a lot of hard work (in the training room) to get in there Sunday,” Gonzalez said. “When that ball hits you in that bone (on top of the shoulder), it’s really painful. He was hurting.”
