Now that Jason Heyward has returned from the disabled list, manager Fredi Gonzalez is going to have a hard time finding a spot for Evan Gattis in the Braves lineup.
He can catch, play left field or first base, but those aren’t exactly weak spots in the Braves lineup.
“I think on paper it’s a great thing to carry three catchers,” Gonzalez said. “But the guys that you could play him for are pretty good players. You take Justin (Upton) out to play Gattis? You take (Freddie) Freeman out? You take (Brian) McCann out, you could put (Gerald) Laird back there.”
Gonzalez said he’s still determined to find ways to get Gattis at-bats, but it underscores the difficulty the Braves face in keeping three catchers. That’s something that could change when and if they need to go back to carrying seven relievers.
“I’m not going to let (Gattis) sit around for five or six, seven, eight days in a row,” Gonzalez said. “But it’s easier on paper than it is manageable during the course of a game.”
