Freeman upbeat about move across diamond to third base
— Freddie Freeman admits he wasn’t exactly comfortable as he spent the past week acclimating himself to his new position. But after taking a series of grounders before Wednesday night’s game at Petco Park, Freeman felt much better about his plan to return to Atlanta’s lineup next week as a third baseman.
“I was really encouraged today,” Freeman said. “I was really in my head the past couple of days, wondering if it was going to work. I still don’t [know], but my confidence has grown a lot more over the past week. I felt like a first baseman playing third base for a few days. Now I’m getting everything going and getting all of the angles right. I think it’s going to be good.”
Freeman plans to work out again at Petco Park and then fly to Atlanta on Friday to begin what could be a fourgame Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. His current plan is to play Saturday afternoon in Charlotte and rest on Sunday. He would then play the first of three straight days on Monday, when Gwinnett begins a homestand.
If all goes well, Freeman could return to Atlanta’s lineup on July 6, for the opener of a four-game series at Nationals Park.
After completing the defensive drills Wednesday afternoon, Freeman took batting practice on the field for the first time since he fractured his left wrist on May 17. As he sprayed line drives to all fields, he didn’t provide any indication he had developed any rust since being placed on the disabled list with a .341 batting average, 14 homers and a 1.209 OPS.
“It’s a big relief for me,” Freeman said. “I swung a lot more than I did yesterday [in the batting cage]. It held up and it was actually getting better and better as I was hitting more. … I felt good and I felt normal. I felt like I was doing what I was doing before I got hurt.”
When Freeman’s wrist was fractured by a pitch, the initial assessment was that he would be sidelined until at least July’s final week. But the two-time All-Star made steady progress with his recovery and a recent test showed he has regained all of his strength in the wrist region.
Freeman revealed last week that he planned to transition to third base to allow Matt Adams to continue serving as the Braves’ first baseman. He has worked daily with third-base coach Ron Washington and bench coach Terry Pendleton. But it wasn’t until Wednesday that he truly started to feel confident about his bold decision.
“Everybody was pretty excited today,” Freeman said. “Today I just had a lot of fun.”
Braves designate Colon for assignment SAN DIEGO
— After giving Bartolo Colon the courtesy to make one more start, the Braves opted to part ways with the 44-year-old hurler who has struggled this season.
The Braves designated Colon for assignment Thursday and promoted left-handed reliever Rex Brothers from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Before reaching the point (10 days from the date of this transaction) where they have no other choice but to release Colon, the Braves could attempt to trade him. However, it’s unlikely there will be many suitors for a starter who has posted a 8.14 ERA over 13 starts and a 10.38 ERA over his past six starts.
Colon was given a chance to make one additional start on Wednesday after spending the past three weeks on the disabled list with what was termed a strained left oblique muscle. By the time he allowed the Padres six earned run in four innings, it was apparent his time in Atlanta’s rotation had likely expired.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said moving Colon to the bullpen was an option. But the club instead decided to cut ties with the popular hurler who is still owed approximately half of the one-year, $12.5 million contract he signed in November.
Brothers has not pitched at the Major League level since producing a 1.74 ERA over 17 appearances for the Rockies in 2015. He began this season in the Braves’ system with Double-A Mississippi, and he was recently promoted to Gwinnett. In four appearances at the Triple-A level, he surrendered two hits and recorded four strikeouts over 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
Flowers says arm injury minor SAN DIEGO
— Braves catcher Tyler Flowers felt fortunate to be able to laugh and joke about the ugly left forearm welt that forced him to exit during the sixth inning of Wednesday night’s 7-4 loss to the Padres at Petco Park.
Flowers’ forearm was struck by a 93.2 mph fastball that Padres reliever Phil Maton threw with the bases loaded during what ended up being a four-run sixth. By the time the veteran catcher reached first base, a large knot had formed just above his left wrist.
“It kind of freaked me out a little bit,” Flowers said. “You hear stories about breaking your arm and it just being numb. But I was able to move it around. I think it looked a lot worse than it was. Not that it feels good, but it did look pretty grotesque.”
Flowers exited when he was retired by a fielder’s choice and returned to the dugout with a welt that was essentially the size of a softball. He was immediately evaluated by the Braves’ medical staff, who determined there was no need for an X-ray.
The immediate swelling might have been a product of a broken blood vessel. By the time the game was over, Flowers was able to tie his shoes without any discomfort.
Kurt Suzuki served as the Braves’ catcher for the remainder of Wednesday’s game and he was already scheduled to start Thursday’s series finale. Flowers thinks he’ll be ready to return to the lineup Friday.
Flowers has produced legitimate All-Star credentials as he has batted .333 with six homers and a .910 OPS this season. He entered Wednesday ranked second among National League catchers (minimum 150 plate appearances) in both fWAR (1.7) and Weighted Runs Created Plus (143).