LOS ANGELES – Chris Johnson lined out to center field in the first inning of the Braves third baseman’s first injury-rehab game at Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday night, a game suspended after two innings due to rain in Lawrenceville.
The game against Lehigh Valley will be completed Tuesday, and Johnson will presumably play it and the regularly scheduled game Tuesday. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez reiterated before Atlanta’s series opener against the Dodgers on Monday a plan to have Johnson play three rehab games and rejoin the Braves for their series opener Thursday at San Francisco.
However, Gonzalez also left open the possibility of Johnson joining them in Los Angeles before the end of the three-game series against the Dodgers, if he and the team’s medical staff determine that he’s ready.
Johnson has been out since April 30 with left-hand injuries that included a fracture and multiple bone bruises. An MRI at the beginning of May showed the fracture to be a pre-existing injury, and Johnson was initially expected to be out from three to six weeks.
