Jason Heyward left Nationals Park Tuesday night saying he would try to talk his way back into the Braves lineup for the series finale, and he did. Heyward left Tuesday’s game in the first inning with a muscle strain in his neck, after feeling a spasm up the back of his head after taking a swing in the first inning.
But Heyward had only a slight headache after the game and said he woke up Wednesday feeling better. He sent manager Fredi Gonzalez a text message in the middle of the day and was back in the Braves lineup batting leadoff and playing right field.
Heyward missed six games in and around the All-Star break after straining his hamstring on July 11. He was determined not to miss more time.
He’s set the tone during the Braves’ 12-game win streak, batting .333 (12-for-36) in 10 games since Gonzalez moved him to the leadoff spot.
“I want to be in every game I can,” Heyward said. “It’s a fun time of year for us, big time of year for us. Every win counts right now, we want to keep it going.”
Health updates
Catcher Gerald Laird spent Wednesday afternoon working out with the Single-A Rome Braves, getting his first baseball activity since undergoing a procedure to remove kidney stones last week. Laird is planning to play a minor league rehabilitation game Friday with Triple-A Gwinnett and if all goes well, he’ll be activated on Saturday.
Jordan Schafer went 1-for-18 in the first four games of his minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Gonzalez said the plan was for Schafer to play at least through Thursday with Gwinnett, maybe Friday, and be activated on Saturday. Schafer is recovering from a stress fracture which he suffered when he fouled a ball off his right ankle on June 26 in Kansas City.
“He missed almost six weeks,” Gonzalez said. “His legs are fine. He just needs to get his timing back.”
Paul Maholm threw side sessions on Sunday and Tuesday, working up to about 50 pitches. He’ll throw an extended bullpen session on Friday and then could either throw a simulated game or go on to pitch a minor league rehabilitation game.
“It’s pretty much normal,” Maholm said of his left wrist. “I just have to build back up and be ready to come in and go 90 plus pitches and not come in and be a burden on the bullpen.”
