A two-week stint on the disabled list did little to help Jair Jurrjens’ sore right knee, and now he’s planning to travel to Vail, Colo., to get a second opinion from knee specialist Dr. Richard Steadman.
Jurrjens was scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Dodgers, but that’s doubtful now. The Braves held back Randall Delgado in Triple-A Gwinnett so he can pitch in that spot. They’ll still have Julio Teheran available to pitch the second game of the doubleheader in New York on Sept. 8.
Jurrjens said his concern now is not finishing the regular season, but being ready for the postseason. This same knee kept him out of the postseason a year ago.
“My main concern right now is the playoffs,” Jurrjens said. “... If I can take a couple days off and get a second opinion and see if I can go out there and be fine. [I want to] do whatever we need to do to get me out there to perform like I want to.”
Jurrjens was tentatively scheduled to fly to Steadman’s Vail clinic Saturday for an examination Sunday.
When Jurrjens went on the DL on Aug. 6, he was told his knee was inflamed, which was a normal reaction to the arthroscopic surgery he had in October for a torn meniscus. A second MRI on Wednesday revealed a bone bruise, but no tears in his meniscus. Jurrjens said it still gives him significant pain when he pushes off on pitches.
His velocity has dropped on his fastball and his slider. His slider was well off its normal pace Tuesday night — in the mid to upper 70s — when he gave up six runs in six innings against the Nationals. His fastball only occasionally ventures into the low 90s these days.
Wilson relishes playoff chance
Red-eyed but smiling, a travel-weary Jack Wilson arrived in the Braves clubhouse about 5:50 p.m. Thursday, excited to join a team in a playoff hunt for the first time in his 11-year career.
“First time I think I’ve even smelled it,” said Wilson, who spent 8 1/2 losing seasons with the Pirates and the past 2 1/2 with Seattle. “It’s exciting just to be in a playoff run. Obviously the team here and the organization as a whole is pretty legendary. Playing against them for so many years in Pittsburgh, it’s nice to be on the other side.”
Wilson, who was traded late Wednesday night with cash for a player to be named, was up early to catch a 7 a.m. Pacific time flight, but a little sleeplessness was his only complaint. The sore heel that has him on the DL is feeling good, he said, and he’ll be ready to come off when he’s eligible Friday.
He arrived to a backup middle-infield job and some insurance if Alex Gonzalez or Dan Uggla gets injured.
To make room for Wilson on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated left-hander Dustin Richardson for assignment. He already had cleared waivers and accepted a return assignment to Gwinnett.
Roster watch
The Braves released Wes Helms from his minor league contract Thursday, ending an experiment to see if the former Brave could regain his form in Triple-A Gwinnett. Helms hit .176 (6-for-34) in nine games. He told Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez in a phone call Thursday night that he has been bothered by a heel injury.
“He said ‘I can’t help you, and I’m not going to put the Braves in that situation,’” said Gonzalez, who managed Helms with the Marlins. “He was really appreciative of the opportunity that we gave him.”
The Braves called up reliever Anthony Varvaro and catcher J.C. Boscan in their first wave of September call-ups. They’re expected to add just three or four more, Gonzalez said, including Peter Moylan, who’s slated to come off the DL on Monday. Both Delgado and Teheran are expected to join the roster and make spot starts in the coming week.
