PHOENIX – Cameron Maybin said his strained groin felt better and he could play Tuesday after a day of treatment Monday, but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to rest the hot-hitting center fielder another day to be safe.
“We sat in the office — me, Bubba (head trainer Jeff Porter) and him, and he feels great,” Gonzalez said. “The treatment was really good. But we’re going to give him another day. From all the treatment he did yesterday, and the fact he feels really good today, I don’t see any reason why we can’t run him out there tomorrow.”
The Braves play an afternoon game against the Diamondbacks Wednesday to complete a three-game series and 10-game road trip. Maybin started 17 consecutive games and 26 of 27 before the injury.
Rookie Todd Cunningham made his second consecutive start in center field Wednesday, after going 0-for-3 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two runs scored in Monday’s 8-1 win against Arizona. Cunningham also laid out to make a catch in the left-center gap, similar to a play Maybin made in right-center Sunday at San Francisco.
That run-saving catch at a crucial point in Sunday’s comeback win was likely where Maybin injured his groin, he said.
“Hopefully this thing will be kicked all the way by tomorrow,” Maybin said. “We did some little things (to test it) in the training room, but just from the way I feel physically, I know. It’s like night and day. I could play right now for sure.
“Hopefully tomorrow. We’ll see what happens. I’m ready. I’m trying to get in there when I can.”
Maybin has been one of the Braves’ steadiest hitter since late April, batting .302 with five doubles, two homers, 17 RBIs and a .391 on-base percentage in his past 29 games.
