Tommy Hanson came away from a visit with Dr. James Andrews encouraged about his right shoulder and cleared to begin rehabbing again. He has no timetable on a possible return, but Hanson said he could begin light throwing in a few days.
A dye-contrasted MRI administered Friday showed Hanson has a small “undersurface” rotator cuff tear, which typically doesn’t require surgery. Hanson said Andrews called it normal wear and tear for a pitcher at a Monday visit in Pensacola, Fla.
“Andrews said there are a lot of guys that are way worse off than me,” Hanson said. “Just hearing it’s normal wear and tear [that] just for whatever reason got inflamed definitely gives me some peace of mind, and I’m a lot happier after seeing him than I was over the weekend.”
Hanson last pitched Aug. 6 against the Mets before going on the disabled list with his second bout of shoulder tendinitis this season.
With less than 30 games to go in the season, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is still hopeful Hanson might pitch this season.
“I’m optimistic,” Gonzalez said. “I’d love to have Tommy after two weeks are up or 16 days or nine days or whatever it is.”
Minor available in bullpen
With the three-day layoff from Hurricane Irene and Monday’s scheduled off day, Mike Minor will have a 10-day break between starts when he returns to the mound Saturday against the Dodgers. As the fifth starter, he has the longest layoff between starts.
The Braves considered sending Minor to the minors for one start, but their only affiliate whose season ended in time to get Minor back on the major league roster by Saturday, without the 10-day holdover, was the rookie league Danville team. And the Braves couldn’t send Minor there by virtue of his accumulated service time.
So Gonzalez said Minor would be available in the bullpen Tuesday and Wednesday nights against the Nationals and might get some work in there.
Brandon Beachy will pitch on seven days’ rest when he faces the Dodgers on Friday. He plans to throw an extra bullpen sessions between starts, but said it won’t be an issue.
Heyward starts vs. Hernandez
Jason Heyward was back in the lineup for the third time in four games, as Gonzalez said he’s playing that decision according to match-ups and hunches.
Heyward was 4-for-15 in his career against Tuesday night’s Nationals starter Livan Hernandez with seven walks, two homers and a double. Jose Constanza was 1-for-2 against him.
“[You] try to match up and try to play them both,” Gonzalez said. “Jason, you see some games where you see that swing improve and you don’t want to sit him out for three or four games in a row.”
Gonzalez said Constanza will return to the lineup Wednesday night against left-hander John Lannan.
Arizona Fall League invites
Seven Braves are headed to the Arizona Fall League, announced Tuesday, and none include the Braves big minor league guns: Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino and Randall Delgado. Those three have worked plenty of innings this season and will all be busy in Atlanta during the stretch run.
Gonzalez confirmed Tuesday either Teheran or Delgado would make the start in the Sept. 8 doubleheader against the Mets. He said the Braves will make their September call-ups in stages, so as not to leave the Triple-A Gwinnett roster bare during its playoff run.
Among those invited to the Fall League include this year first-round draft pick left-hander Sean Gilmartin, right-handers Billy Bullock, Erik Cordier and J.J. Hoover, catcher Christian Bethancourt, second baseman Phil Gosselin and outfielder Todd Cunningham.
