Evan Gattis is back – back with the Braves and back behind the plate.
The catcher was activated from the disabled list and in the lineup for the series-opener against the Marlins Monday.
Gattis has been on the disabled list since June 29 with a bulging thoracic disc. He missed 19 games with the injury and completed a four-game rehab stint in Triple-A Gwinnett Sunday. With the G-Braves, Gattis went 3-for-16. He caught a total of 12 innings in two games and was the designated hitter for two games. He went 2-for-6 Sunday.
“I had a couple of bad at-bats so it got better each day,” Gattis said of the rehab assignment. “But my back was fine from day one.
“Catching, I didn’t think would be a problem at all. It was just taking swings.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he spoke to G-Braves manager Brian Snitker at length Sunday night. He was assured Gattis had enough hard swings and his back responded positively.
Gattis received an epidural in his back to help the healing process. It is not clear wheter Gattis is still under the effects of the shot but he insists his back will hold up.
Gonzalez said, however, he will closely monitor Gattis’ innings. The team entered the season wanting to limit the first-year full-time major league catcher to less than 110 games.
Gattis was on a tear in the 56 games prior to his injury. During that span he hit .300 (60-for-20) with 15 home runs, 37 RBIs, a .356 on-base percentage and a .580 slugging percentage. Better yet, in the 26 games since May 25, he is hitting .354 with eight home runs, 21 RBIs, a .407 on-base percentage and a .657 slugging percentage.
“That is definitely the goal, just to find it as soon as possible and get on another roll,” Gattis said of returning to his pre-injury form.
