Right oblique strain lands Vizcaino on disabled list

The Braves placed righthander Arodys Vizcaino on the 15-disabled list Saturday and activated left-hander Eric O’Flaherty to take his place in the bullpen.

The Braves said Vizcaino sustained a strain to his right oblique muscle while pitching against the Rockies on Friday. Vizcaino left the game after throwing six pitches and failing to record an out.

Vizcaino has been the team’s closer for most of the season. He was dominant for the first two months, recovered after a lull in early June, but allowed eight runs (five earned) over 3⅓ innings his past five appearances.

Vizcaino wasn’t available to pitch in the final series before the All-Star break because of an infection in his elbow. Braves interim manager Brian Snitker sent Vizcaino to face the Rockies with the Braves trailing 7-2 in the ninth inning in hopes of getting him back on track, but the oblique injury derailed that plan.

Vizcaino said he first felt pain in his side while throwing his third pitch. Snitker said the injury is unfortunate, but that it could allow Vizcaino a chance to recover from his rough stretch.

“The big thing — and I talked to him about this a few weeks ago — he’s a huge part of what we’re trying to do here,” Snitker said. “He’s a young kid who cares a lot, who wants to do well, and what he brings is very valuable to the Atlanta Braves for a long time.”

In 39 appearances this season Vizcaino, 25, has a 3.00 ERA with 10 saves in 13 chances. He had a 1.52 ERA in his first 23 appearances before a high walk rate contributed to inconsistent results.

Before last season, MLB suspended Vizcaino 80 games for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. He came back to post a 1.60 ERA in 36 appearances with 37 strikeouts and 13 walks in 33⅔ innings.

The Braves placed O’Flaherty on the DL on June 13 with a right knee strain. He made six appearances while on rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues. — MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

Simmons close to another rehab: Seventeen months since having Tommy John elbow surgery, reliever Shae Simmons still isn’t ready to rejoin the Braves bullpen. But he’s getting closer. Again.

Simmons will throw in simulated-game conditions Monday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment soon after, provided there are no setbacks.

The hard-throwing righthander was in the final stages of a rehab assignment last month before being forced to shut it down after developing latissimus dorsi tendinitis near his pitching shoulder. That was about four weeks ago.

A healthy Simmons, 25, could be a major addition for the Braves in the final couple of months of the season, allowing him to work back toward being the impact pitcher the Braves expected him to be before he blew out the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow during a mound session just before 2015 spring training.

When healthy, Simmons was dynamic and showed the potential to become a top setup man or closer.

As a rookie in 2014, he went on the disabled list July 29 with shoulder soreness and didn’t pitch again that season. Simmons had been called up for the first time May 31, 2014, converted a save in his second game, and posted a 0.96 ERA and .172 opponents’ average in his first 20 appearances. — DAVID O’BRIEN

CHRIS SZAGOLA Closer Arodys Vizcaino had to leave Friday night’s game after throwing six pitches during the ninth inning against the Rockies.