MIAMI -- Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens on Monday took steps toward returning to the Braves' starting rotation, but time remains the big obstacle.
The Braves indicated there's a reasonable chance that Hanson (shoulder) could return in time to make a regular-season start and be a rotation candidate for the division series, provided they hold on to win the wild card and make the postseason.
Jurrjens (knee) probably wouldn’t be an option unless the Braves advanced beyond the first round of the postseason.
Hanson threw 34 pitches in two simulated innings in the team’s Instructional League at Orlando on Monday, after throwing three bullpen sessions last week in Atlanta.
"Tommy threw great today," Braves manager Fred Gonzalez said. "He'll throw a side Wednesday and start Friday."
Gonzalez said Hanson would pitch three or four innings or a maximum of 65 pitches in his Friday Instructional League start. He could be on schedule to start the Braves' last regular-season game on Sept. 28 against Philadelphia.
However, the Braves would not start Hanson in that game if a playoff berth were on the line. That would be Tim Hudson's normal day to pitch, and the Braves wouldn't skip Hudson if that last game is a must-win.
“There’s so much up in the air,” said Gonzalez, whose Braves lost 11 of 17 games before Monday, reducing their wild-card lead to 3-1/2 games over surging St. Louis.
Jurrjens threw about 40 pitches in a bullpen session on Monday at Sun Life Stadium before the Braves’ series opener against Florida. It was the first time he threw off the mound since being fitted for a brace on his troublesome right knee. He said the brace wasn’t overly restrictive.
“Just little things I’ve got to get used to,” he said. “I felt good. I threw for almost 40 pitches and felt discomfort on, like, three pitches. Not pain. Just a feeling.”
Asked if he was any more confident about returning, at least if the Braves advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs, Jurrjens said there were still steps to take.
“This is really a leap in a good way,” he said. “Now just see how it’s going to react tomorrow and go from there. It felt good. I’m happy with my pushing off [the mound].”
Gonzalez has said he would not start Hanson or Jurrjens in the postseason without either one first making a regular-season start to prove readiness.
Hanson is 1-3 with an 8.10 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break after going 10-4 with a 2.77 ERA before the break. Jurrjens is 1-3 with a 5.88 ERA in seven starts since the break after going 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA before the break and making the All-Star team.
Hanson's last start was Aug. 6 against the Mets. He was diagnosed with a small rotator-cuff tear, which Dr. James Andrews described as a normal-wear injury that should not require surgery.
Jurrjens’ last start was Aug. 30 against Washington. He was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee, the same knee that he injured late last season, causing him to miss the postseason. Jurrjens had arthroscopic surgery in October to repair a meniscus tear in the knee.
Gonzalez watched Jurrjens’ bullpen session on Monday.
Jurrjens’ Wednesday bullpen session will be a little longer and more intense, Gonzalez said.
Good riddance to Sun Life
The Braves are making their last scheduled visit to Sun Life Stadium, the multi-purpose stadium that’s had multiple names since the Florida Marlins began playing there in their first season in 1995. There will be no tears shed.
Also home to the Miami Dolphins and University of Miami football team, the stadium always ranks as one of the least favorite stadiums by major league players and by fans, who stay away in droves.
The Marlins will move next season into a new, retractable-roof, baseball-only ballpark in the Little Havana area near downtown Miami, and will change their name to Miami Marlins.
"I won't miss this place a bit," said Chipper Jones, the Braves' all-time leader in most categories at Sun Life Stadium including games (118), hits (127), homers (16) and RBIs (64).
Medlen, Sherrill updates
Kris Medlen will throw one inning in the Instructional League on Wednesday as he continues his late bid for a spot in the Braves' potential postseason bullpen.
The right-hander hasn’t pitched all season while recovering from ligament-transplant elbow surgery, and the Braves shut down Medlen late in the season after he had scar-tissue breakup in the elbow. They figured at that point that it would be best just to have him prepare for next year.
That changed, however, due to injuries in the Braves' pitching staff and ineffectiveness against left-handers by relievers other than closer Craig Kimbrel and lefties Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty.
Medlen’s changeup makes him effective against lefties, and the Braves decided to see whether he could make it back to pitch before the end of the season in a relief role.
The hope is that Medlen will be ready to pitch against Philadelphia during the final series of the regular season Sept. 26-28 to gauge his readiness for the postseason.
Veteran lefty George Sherrill, on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, will throw a bullpen session Tuesday in Miami.
