ARLINGTON, Texas – Evan Gattis' homecoming series hasn't been anything like he'd hoped for, and now the Braves say the catcher is likely to miss Sunday's series finale due to the stretch throat that's already sidelined him for five games.
The big Texan, a native of the Dallas area, has not played since last Sunday in Miami. He was diagnosed with strep throat Monday and the Braves hoped he would be ready to serve as designated hitter for the three-game series against the Rangers. But his recovery stalled late in the weak and he remained weakened by the illness Saturday.
“I don’t think we’re going to see him at all this series,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after Saturday’s 3-2 loss. “His symptoms are still there. We’ll just take it day by day.”
Gattis was examined again Saturday by a Rangers physician.
The Braves have scored just three runs while losing the first two games of the series against a Rangers team that owns the majors’ worst record and had lost 11 of 12 games before facing Atlanta.
More than 200 friends and Gattis family members have attended one or both of the first two games, with a huge contingent of them sitting beneath a hand-painted “Gattis Gang” sign in the second deck during Friday’s series opener.
