The Braves are planning to activate Travis d’Arnaud from the 60-day injured list this week, possibly on Tuesday when the team begins a series with the Reds. Manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Gabriel Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that d’Arnaud is slated to catch all nine innings of a minor league rehab game tomorrow, representing a final step in his recovery from surgery to repair a thumb ligament. A Silver Slugger winner in 2020, d’Arnaud hasn’t played since May 1 of this season, contributing to Atlanta’s near-total dearth of production from the catcher position.
Huascar Ynoa is also working his way back from a broken hand, as Snitker said the righty threw 68 pitches in his most recent rehab outing on Friday, and is scheduled to toss roughly 85 pitches in his next outing. With a 3.02 ERA over nine starts and 44 2/3 innings, Ynoa was a nice surprise for Atlanta’s rotation prior to his injury, and he could be used as either a starter, long reliever, or both upon his return to the active roster.
More injury updates from around the National League…
- “I’m going to pitch in Pittsburgh,” Jack Flaherty told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other reporters, indicating that he plans to return from the 60-day IL during the Cardinals’ upcoming series with the Pirates from August 10-12. A left oblique strain put Flaherty on the IL on June 1, leaving the Cards without their ace for a big chunk of the season. Miles Mikolas is also tentatively scheduled to return for next weekend’s series against the Royals, as Mikolas is working through a minor league rehab assignment of his own. Mikolas missed the entire 2020 season due to flexor tendon surgery, then made just one start in May before heading back to the IL due to forearm tightness.
- Some bullpen reinforcements look to be on the way for the Reds, as Lucas Sims might be activated from the 10-day IL on Sunday, and Tejay Antone could be ready sometime this week. Both relievers went on the injured list in the final week of June — Sims with a sprained right elbow, and Antone with a right forearm strain. Reds manager David Bell told Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters that Sims has “a pretty strong chance” of returning tomorrow, while Antone’s timeline is more tentative since he was only scheduled to begin his rehab assignment today. “We want to get him back as quick as we can, but we want to do it in a way that is best for Tejay, and we can have him for the rest of the year and he doesn’t have to deal with this anymore at all, even next year or beyond,” Bell said.
- Nick Senzel’s status is even more uncertain, as Bell said Senzel is “still not recovering exactly how we would want him to” after a week of rehab games. Senzel underwent arthroscopic knee surgery at the end of May, and was initially given a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks. Things are open-ended enough that Bell said Senzel might return to the Reds within a couple of days if he shows improvement, but for now, the oft-injured Senzel is once again sidelined.
Senzel will be on the IL, 7 days after he returns
Probably tripping over the foul line
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
With Sims and Antone coming back, does this mean I have suffered through my last Brach experience? He’s got no idea where that ball is going when it leaves his hand.
Never trust ex-Barves relief pitchers.
I agree. Brach likely has pitched his last game for the Reds
It’s time to give Richard Rodriquez the closing job and put Will Smith in low pressure situations. Luke Jackson seems to be a better pitcher at this point then Smith.
Hard ton watch him pitch. Then stare out at the field like the umps will change them home run balls will change.
What??
Coherent English is all relative to where you’re from. But nice effort at a joke…
Before the internet existed sure, but you aren’t just talking to locals here. Nice effort at an excuse though…
Really don’t understand why this hasn’t already happened. Considering the lack of depth of the bullpen all season, Smith had been decent, but not nearly as bad as others and they just left it alone. Smith still has control issues which leads to walks/HR (like last season) – mostly to RH batters (much of the league). If nothing else, they should at least play it by committee to meet the situation.
Does Jack Flaherty still have the most wins in the NL?
Did you mean to type this into Google?
I think Braves fans are too wrapped up in the thought that Ynoa is gonna come back as good as he was before his injury. I think everyone is forgetting how small of a sample size that was and how up and down he was before that. If you recall, he was projected to be a bullpen guy, and very well still might be that guy. Look, hopefully he comes back as stud. But at the same time, don’t let your expectations run wild with him. Tame them
Hopefully Jack Flaherty shows more life on the mound than John Flaherty does in the broadcast booth.
As bad as the Braves bullpen has been. The catchers could not hit the ball with a boat Paddle. Please bring Travis back now.
Brad Brach sounds like a pitcher the Cardinals would pickup if the Reds let him go.
“I’m going to pitch in Pittsburgh,” – does not pitch in Pittsburgh.