Swanson’s spring debut pain-free, ‘very encouraging’

TAMPA — A cloudy spring day at the miniature Yankee Stadium they’ve built here off Dale Mabry Highway. A glorified scrimmage where keeping score is but a formality. Lineups bound to turn over like groomsmen at a Vegas chapel. Everything smaller than the real thing — with the lone exception of New York’s Aaron Judge, who when he aches, surely consults a tree surgeon.

But as Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson stood in this modest setting for the national anthem, some outsized thoughts occurred to him.

“I was really thankful to be healthy and be in the position I’m in. That was really the only thing that could come to mind,” he said Tuesday, upon exiting his first spring training game of 2019.

In his first public display since undergoing wrist surgery — and having his spring plans pushed back by a recurrence of soreness — Swanson was thrilled to be back playing a game on any scale.

“I was very excited about today, obviously being able to be out there and compete again,” he said. “It’s fun to be able to compete something other than video games or something. Something real.”

More important than the emotions, the wrist reacted well. Swanson hit two balls well, his first a sharp groundout off the pitcher’s foot, his second an opposite-field single through the right side of the infield.

“Didn’t look like the first at-bats of the season,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after the Braves’ 5-1 exhibition loss. “I thought he had two really good at-bats. That was very encouraging. Just to get him back out there was good, get him back in the routine and the mix.”

So, it was natural Swanson wore a big smile in the visitor’s clubhouse.

“It was nice to not having any conscious thoughts about the pain or hurting or feeling like you’re kind of limited on what you’re able to do,” Swanson said. “It was definitely a promising sign to start that way and I’m excited to move forward.”

Swanson will not play today, and the Braves have Thursday off. He is scheduled to be back in the lineup Friday night against Philadelphia.

Wright aggressive against Yankees: It was less than two years ago that Kyle Wright was pitching in college, a happy Vanderbilt Commodore.

Tuesday was one of those reminders that he has left the SEC far behind. Now, he is showing up at the ballpark pitching to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton before he can get a decent sweat going.

The Braves No. 1 draft pick out of Vandy in 2017 (fifth overall) didn’t shrink from the moment. Facing the New York Yankees in a spring game Tuesday, Wright made it through three scoreless innings, giving up two hits (one a Stanton single), walking none and striking out three. He has yet to give up a run or walk a hitter in five innings this spring.

Dansby Swanson