The Braves had hoped a few more days’ rest would help Ramiro Pena’s sore right shoulder, but after five days off he still hasn’t seen improvement. They placed him on the disabled list Friday and recalled shortstop Paul Janish from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Pena did not make the trip to Milwaukee. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Pena was seeking a second opinion. Pena had surgery on the shoulder seven years ago as a minor leaguer with the Yankees. The Braves hope he can avoid surgery this time.
“We haven’t gotten all the tests in yet,” Gonzalez said. “Hopefully it’s just soreness and nothing more than that.”
Pena said recently his shoulder started bothering him about a month ago, and he aggravated it on a check swing in Los Angeles. Pena said it didn’t bother him at the plate, but continued to give him problems throwing. He had arthroscopic surgery to repair his labrum as a minor leaguer with the Yankees.
Pena has been the Braves’ primary backup infielder and provided an offensive lift not many saw coming. After hitting .233 over four seasons of sparse work with the Yankees, Pena is hitting .278 (27-for-97) with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and 12 RBIs in 50 games as a Brave. He hadn’t played in a game since Sunday night against the Giants when he went 1-for-4 with a line-drive single in a start at second base.
Janish empty-handed: Gonzalez says Janish "saved our butts" last season. He hopes Janish can do a little more of the same.
Janish provides the Braves a more-than-capable backup at shortstop, third base and second base. Now all he needs is some equipment.
Janish arrived at Miller Park without any of his gear. He had flown in from Buffalo after Gwinnett wrapped up a series there Thursday night, but his bag was on a truck bound for Atlanta. Janish was planning to borrow a glove from Tyler Pastornicky and cleats from Chris Johnson, and would have to make do until the Gwinnett clubhouse staff could ship his equipment, hopefully before Saturday’s game.
“I’ll put something together, make it work,” Janish said.
That’s what he did last season after the Braves acquired him in a July trade from the Reds, looking for help at shortstop when Andrelton Simmons broke a bone in his right hand.
Janish’s standout defense made him a valuable commodity, even after Simmons returned. But he dislocated his non-throwing shoulder in September and had to undergo surgery after the season ended. Janish was not cleared to start playing in games until mid-April.
“I haven’t dealt with a whole lot other than sometimes when I dive, I’ll feel it a little bit,” Janish said.
Janish was hitting .207 (28-for-135) in 41 games at shortstop for Gwinnett.
