After holding out hope that sore-shouldered Tommy Hanson would improve following a cortisone shot and four extra days’ rest, the Braves reconsidered Sunday and placed the pitcher on the disabled list.
It was Hanson's second trip to the DL for right-shoulder tendinitis in two months. He came back strong from a June DL stint and the Braves hope he will do so again beginning with a planned Aug. 22 start against the Cubs in Chicago.
“I think it’s just the right thing to do, give him a little extra time,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He hasn’t even thrown a bullpen yet, so we’re going to take our time.”
Prospect Randall Delgado will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make a spot start in Hanson's place. It’ll be the second major-league appearance for Delgado, 21.
“I think we were going to push it if we had him make that start Tuesday,” Gonzalez said of Hanson, who hasn't thrown since his last appearance Aug. 6. “I think it would have been putting him at risk a little bit.”
Hanson's season, once full of promise, has stalled for the same ailment.
"That’s what they want to do, so it’s not like I was going to argue," he said. "I don’t know, just try to take care of it as best I can. The more time I have, the better I’m going to feel. Obviously I want to get back out there as soon as possible. But if that’s what the plan is, you’ve just got to go with it and do the best you can, work as hard as you can to feel better.”
He said that while he hasn't thrown a baseball since his last start, he can feel improvement in his shoulder through stretching and strengthening drills.
The DL stint is retroactive to Aug. 7, a day after he was rocked for seven runs and a career-high four homers in 3 1/3 innings against the New York Mets.
The right-hander is 1-3 with an 8.10 ERA and .313 opponents’ average in five starts since the All-Star break, after going 10-4 with a 2.44 ERA and .190 OA before the break.
Hanson left the team on its last road trip to have an MRI in Atlanta on Tuesday. It showed no structural damage and he was given his second cortisone shot in two months.
Asked Sunday if he was worried about Hanson, Gonzalez said, “I don’t think so. He had tendinitis. That’s what it is. Sometimes you’ve just got to let that thing rest a little.”
Delgado will make his second major league start after giving up four runs (three earned) and seven hits in four innings of a June 17 loss to Texas in his debut. The right-hander has not given up a run in two starts for Gwinnett since a promotion from Double-A.
“He’s made a start. You feel comfortable bringing those guys up,” Gonzalez said. “You feel like you still have a good chance to win the ballgame."
