Jair Jurrjens doesn’t start again before the All-Star break, and he’ll have to wait to see if he will start the All-Star game on Tuesday night in Phoenix.
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy has yet to name a starter for the National League, which likely will come down to Jurrjens or Philadelphia starters Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez made the case Friday that Jurrjens will be the best-rested of the three. Halladay was scheduled to start Friday night against the Braves, weather permitting, and Lee on Saturday.
“You would like for him to start,” said Gonzalez, who hasn’t lobbied Bochy directly. “He would be more rested than Doc, and more rested than Lee, if that makes a difference. ... For selfish reasons, for the organization, for the team, sure we’d like to see him get the opportunity.”
Jurrjens, who was selected to his first All-Star team by player vote, last pitched Wednesday night against the Rockies and would be going on five days’ rest.
In comments to reporters, Halladay has made it known that he would start the All-Star game if asked, but he would rather not pitch the two innings a starter is asked to work.
Entering the weekend, Jurrjens led the National League in wins (12) and ERA (1.87). The Yankees’ CC Sabathia leads the American League with 12 wins, and Jered Weaver of the Angels just moved in front of Jurrjens for the majors’ lead in ERA at 1.86.
Medlen suffers setback
Braves pitcher Kris Medlen has suffered a second setback in his recovery from elbow-reconstruction surgery and has been temporarily shut down to rest his elbow. The Braves don’t believe the setback is serious, but Medlen will visit orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham on Monday to be sure.
Gonzalez characterized it Friday as nothing alarming.
“It’s not crazy,” he said. “It’s happened to a lot of people, set them back a little bit.”
Medlen had originally been ahead of schedule in his recovery and on target to return later this month, only 11 months removed from surgery. But he felt scar tissue breaking up while throwing a curveball during a bullpen session May 31 and took some time off.
Medlen had been throwing again in Orlando, working with Braves physical therapist Troy Jones, at their Disney complex for the past two weeks.
Another right-hander the Braves have an eye on for some help in the second half is Peter Moylan. The side-armer is scheduled to begin playing catch when the Braves work out Thursday as he continues his comeback from back surgery.
Moylan had surgery for a herniated disc May 17. Recovery typically requires 12 weeks, which would put him back in mid-August.
