The Double-A and Triple-A affiliates both made the playoffs so Braves outfielder Mallex Smith and other candidates will have to wait a while longer to join the big-league club’s expanded roster.
Smith is on rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Mississippi after he missed 10 weeks with a fractured left thumb that took longer than expected to heal. In five games with the M-Braves Smith is 6-for-15 (.400) with a .438 on-base percentage and three stolen bases in four tries.
“He’s healthy and doing good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s just going to keep playing down there, play games. The reports have been good. If his thumb is good, the rest of his body is fine. We knew that. It’s not inhibiting his swing or anything like that.
“It sounds like picked up right where he left off. It’s good for him to keep playing because he missed a lot of time. He needs games.”
Snitker has said Smith may stay in Mississippi until its season concludes. The Braves also plan to wait until Triple-A Gwinnett’s season is finished before adding players from there. Both teams begin postseason play on Wednesday.
Snitker was Gwinnett’s manger when the Braves promoted him on May 17 and later named John Moses as his successor.
“They did a great job of keeping that thing on track with all of the turmoil we put them through all the time (with transactions),” Snitker said. “I told Mo, ‘I used to be the recipient, now I’m the cause.’ He did a good job.”
