MIAMI — Dan Uggla spent several hours Thursday watching video of his swing: working on that problematic swing in the indoor batting cage at Sun Life Stadium and taking batting practice with the rest of the Braves before the night game against the Florida Marlins.
Then he found a seat on the bench.
In the midst of a season-long slump the likes of which he has never had to endure, the second baseman was out of the lineup for the third time in 14 days. “Just to give him a breather,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, using what’s become his stock answer.
Uggla was 6-for-68 (.088) with one double and one RBI in his past 20 games before Wednesday, dropping his average to a major league-worst .170 and his on-base percentage to a National League-worst .232.
He was asked if being out of the lineup was harder to take against Florida, in his first trip back since the Marlins traded him to Atlanta in November.
“It’s never a good day to get a day off, for me anyway,” Uggla said. “It is what it is. I’m not swinging it [well], and Fredi’s putting together the best lineup he can to try to win ballgames.”
After posting career-best totals last season in average (.287), OBP (.369) and on-base-plus slugging percentage (.877), Uggla would have to get hot soon to avoid career-lows in every category. His .306 slugging percentage was the league’s second-worst before Thursday, as was his .542 OPS. He had seven homers and 16 RBIs.
“He’s working real hard with Larry [Parrish, hitting coach], watching film, working off a tee, doing all the things hitters work on,” Gonzalez said.
But his slump has only deepened. Uggla was 12-for-105 (.114) in his past 30 games with two homers, six RBIs and 25 strikeouts.
Uggla said there have been nights when he’s felt in sync and not had any balls drop for hits. And other nights when his stance and swing didn’t feel right but he got a hit, like his sixth-inning single Wednesday.
“My timing was off, my hips were flying open, my hands were dropping,” he said. “One thing can cause other things to be off.”
Prado on the mend
Martin Prado’s sore left knee kept him of the lineup for a second consecutive game Thursday, but the swelling was down and he expected to be back in left field by Saturday or Sunday at Houston.
Gonzalez said there was a chance Prado could pinch-hit as soon as Thursday, though the left fielder still walked with a limp in the clubhouse a few hours before the game.
Prado was injured when hit in the side of his knee by a throw while stealing second base in the ninth inning Tuesday against the Marlins. He finished the game, but had swelling when he woke Wednesday and could barely walk.
“I had ice and heat on it all day [Wednesday],” he said. “I guess it worked, because it feels better today. [But] I don’t want to perform at 50 percent.”
Prado said he was concerned after waking in pain, but was relieved after a doctor examined him at the ballpark Wednesday and assured him there was no structural damage
Minor to start Saturday
As expected, rookie Mike Minor will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Saturday in the second game of a four-game series against the Astros.
The left-hander is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three starts for the Braves this season, but has pitched well in two games after a shaky debut. He allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings of a 5-4 loss to San Diego on May 31.
Minor is 3-2 with a 2.23 ERA in nine starts at Gwinnett and retired the first 18 batters of his start Sunday against Buffalo. He allowed one hit in eight scoreless innings of that win, with nine strikeouts and one walk.
