Alex Gonzalez said his right calf was feeling better Wednesday, but the Braves weren’t going to take any chances with the veteran shortstop. The Braves figure it could be as long as two weeks before the calf is better, leaving doubt whether Gonzalez would be able to play if the Braves make the playoffs.
Veteran Jack Wilson was in the lineup at shortstop Wednesday night against the Phillies, and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he had no plans to pinch hit or use Gonzalez in the field late.
“He’s going to be out for a couple of weeks, I would think,” Fredi Gonzalez said. “I feel comfortable with Wilson. He’s done it for a lot of years with the Pirates, and for me he’s one of the top defenders in the league. He’s not chopped liver at the plate either. He can handle the bat.”
Gonzalez had been a hot hitter, going 15-for-33 (.455) with three home runs, five doubles and eight RBIs in his previous nine games before Tuesday night.
Gonzalez had to come out of the game in the second inning, without batting or even fielding a ground ball outside of warm-ups. He said he felt his calf grab, but in a different area than the strain that kept him out of four games last week. This time it was in the lower part of the calf.
He was in significant pain Tuesday night, but it subsided overnight.
“When I woke up this morning, it felt fine,” Gonzalez said.
It’s still sore to the touch, though, and the Braves’ concern is he could strain it worse and be looking at a significant injury, requiring four to six weeks out.
Hanson on hold
Tommy Hanson said Wednesday he has no immediate plans to throw off a mound, regardless of whether the Braves advance in the playoffs, because of lingering soreness in his right shoulder.
Hanson originally was a candidate to pitch Wednesday against the Phillies if the Braves had clinched, but that was before he had to cut short an outing in the instructional league because of pain in his scapula. It is continuing pain in the shoulder, Hanson said, that would prevent him from trying to work back in case the Braves make the playoffs and advance past the first round.
“The spot in the front where there’s tendinitis is still sore,” said Hanson, who was diagnosed with an undersurface tear in his rotator cuff, but was told it wouldn’t require surgery. “It’s not getting better. ... I’m just going to continue to do my shoulder strengthening stuff and continue to work it out. I’m not throwing right now and probably won’t throw until December.”
Braves general manager Frank Wren said he’s isn’t ruling out a return, though.
“It obviously depends on how long we play,” Wren said. “But for me, it wasn’t a shut-down. It was a slow-down until we see if we can get him feeling better with the shoulder and then start back up again.”
Pastornicky’s call
Braves shortstop prospect Tyler Pastornicky was on his way home from Disney World on Tuesday night in Orlando, when he got his first major-league call-up.
After Gonzalez went down Tuesday night, the Braves turned to their top shortstop prospect for some insurance behind Wilson. They had told Pastornicky they wanted him to work out in the instructional league in case of an emergency.
“It was a pretty good moment,” said Pastornicky, 21, who got the call at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and flew to Atlanta on Wednesday morning. “... Just to be here is something you dream about, getting a chance to go to the playoffs. I’m still in shock a little bit.”
The Braves needed Pastornicky if Wilson gets hurt, with Martin Prado only a last-ditch option.
Pastornicky hit .314 combined in 117 games in Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett this season and is known for being above-average on defense. He’s healthy again six weeks removed from a high ankle sprain.
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