Tyler Pastornicky has been called up to the major leagues four times in his life but never before at 2:30 in the morning.
The Braves near four-hour rain delay Monday night, a 1:22 a.m. finish and a late night decision to put Evan Gattis on the disabled list with an oblique strain, had Pastornicky’s cell phone ringing in the middle of the night in Buffalo, NY where he was with Triple-A Gwinnett.
“I was kind of groggy,” said Pastornicky, who also didn’t mind hearing the news from manager Randy Ready. “It was exciting.”
He caught a 6:15 a.m. flight to Atlanta Tuesday morning, which was delayed, slept maybe an hour or so on the flight, and walked into the Braves clubhouse at about 10:30 a.m., duffel bag over his shoulder.
Pastornicky, who was already on the Braves 40-man roster, gives manager Fredi Gonzalez a player he knows can handle the bat. He can play shortstop, second base and possibly the outfield if needed. Pastornicky came up as a shortstop but the Braves have moved him to second base this season in Gwinnett and given him a couple of games in center field. They project him as a utility player.
Pastornicky was hitting .309 on the season for Gwinnett and .337 (30-for-89) in his past 21 games. He had an impressive spring in major league camp, hitting .375 (21-for-56) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs and 14 RBIs in 26 games.
“I know I can hit here,” said Pastornicky, who spent two weeks with the Braves in late April and early May after Jason Heyward underwent an emergency appendectomy. “I’ve proven I can hit here so it’s getting up here and being comfortable and going out there and playing.”
As for the move to second base?
“I’m really liking second base,” he said. “I think that’s been a good move for me. I feel a lot more comfortable there.”
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