Janish to get checked out

Shortstop to have specialist examine ailing left shoulder.

MIAMI — While shortstop Andrelton Simmons was out of the lineup Wednesday for the second game in a row with a sore left shoulder, backup shortstop Paul Janish returned to Atlanta to have his left shoulder examined by a Braves specialist.

Janish dislocated the shoulder while making a diving defensive play in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s 10-inning loss to the Marlins. The Braves hope he can avoid surgery and be ready to play if they advance to the postseason.

“He can’t see a doctor until [Thursday], so we won’t know anything until the evening,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves have a day off today in Philadelphia before a three-game weekend series with the Phillies. “They’ll do all the tests, whether it’s an MRI, X-ray, whatever they’ve got to do. … He won’t play for a while. It’s significant.”

Gonzalez said Simmons could be back in the lineup by Friday. Martin Prado moved from left field to make his ninth start at shortstop in Wednesday’s series finale. Prado started Tuesday, and Janish entered in the ninth inning for defense.

Simmons hurt his shoulder making a diving defensive play Monday in Miami. The standout rookie played the entire game, but the shoulder stiffened overnight. He spend much of the past two days getting treatment and was available to pinch-run.

“Good shot of him playing on Friday,” Gonzalez said.

Janish was in a great deal of pain as he was helped off the field Wednesday. He has a history of subluxation (partial dislocation) in his left shoulder

“This time it actually dislocated and got stuck out [of the socket],” he said. “I’ve had that happen before where it subluxes my shoulder when I dive, and usually it just slides back in. … This is the first time I ever had it stuck and not be able to get it back in.” Braves finishing the season as the first-place wildcard team and hosting the second-place wild card in a one-game “play-in” game Oct. 5, with the winner advancing to a bestof-five division series against the division winner with the best record.

Gonzalez said he might tweak the rotation after the weekend series at Philadelphia. The Braves will stick with their regular rotation order against the Phillies, with Tommy Hanson starting Friday’s series opener, followed by Mike Minor and Hudson.

After another off day Monday, Paul Maholm would be in line to start Tuesday’s series opener at home against Miami, followed by Medlen. Gonzalez didn’t get into any specifics, but if he flip-flopped Medlen and Maholm, it would put Medlen on schedule to start on regular rest Sept. 30 against the Mets and in the potential Oct. 5 wildcard game.

WILFREDO LEE / ASSOCIATED PRESS The Braves’ Chipper Jones hugs Jose Reyes of the Marlins, who gave the third baseman fly-fishing equipment as a retirement gift.