Arodys Vizcaino was reinstated from the Braves disabled list and active for Thursday night’s game against the Nationals, but for now he won’t return to the closer role he had before straining a right oblique July 15.
Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said he planned to keep flamethrowing rookie Mauricio Cabrera and veteran Jim Johnson in the eighth- and ninth-inning roles for the time being.
“We’ll stay with Mo and JJ,” Snitker said. “Viz obviously has been inactive for a while, so we’ll just ease him back into it.”
Johnson converted eight of eight save opportunities while allowing just three hits and two walks with 13 strikeouts in nine consecutive scoreless appearances before Thursday.
Cabrera had five holds, a save and a 2.13 ERA in his past 12 appearances before Thursday, allowing three earned runs in 12 2/3 innings while working primarily as the main setup man to Johnson.
Vizcaino was dominant for most of the first half, converting 10 of 12 save opportunities while posting a 1.93 ERA in 34 appearances through June 27, with 45 strikeouts and 15 walks in 32 2/3 innings.
But in his last five appearances before going on the DL, he was 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA and a blown save, allowing six hits, eight runs (five earned) and seven walks with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
To open a roster spot for Vizcaino, the Braves optioned rookie reliever Jason Hursh to Triple-A Gwinnett. Hursh allowed four hits, five runs and three walks in just 1 1/3 innings (33.75 ERA, .500 opponents’ average) over his first two major league appearances after being called up from Gwinnett. He walked the Nos. 7-9 Minnesota batters – including pitcher Kyle Gibson — in a four-run ninth inning Wednesday.
