Kyle Wright, who had been throwing in Florida, is back in Atlanta.
This is not a setback. It was planned.
Wright on Thursday will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Rome. He’s been on the injured list since May because of a right shoulder strain.
“So, he’s starting his ascent back, which is really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
The Braves will evaluate Wright after each rehab outing to determine his next step.
“There’s a plan, but it can always change depending on how it goes,” Snitker said.
The Braves don’t release timelines on rehab assignments, which is why it’s difficult to be certain on how many starts Wright might need before returning.
Perhaps Max Fried is a decent comparison. The two situations are different – Wright has spent more time on the injured list than Fried did – and everyone progresses in their own way.
Fried made four rehab starts before returning to the Braves’ rotation. His rehab assignment began on July 9, and he joined the Braves for an Aug. 4 start in Chicago.
Pitchers are allowed to be on a rehab assignment for a maximum of 30 days. Given that Wright’s rehab assignment will begin on Aug. 24, it must end on Sept. 22 – if it even lasts that long.
Wright went on the injured list right before Fried. The Braves, who have baseball’s best record, have withstood all the injuries they’ve endured this season because of their depth. Yes, they have a terrific lineup. But their pitching depth has delivered.
Not including relievers who have acted as openers in bullpen games, the Braves have used 12 starting pitchers. Only three of them have made more than nine starts: Spencer Strider (25), Bryce Elder (24) and Charlie Morton (24). Fried and Jared Shuster are next on that list, with nine starts apiece.
When Wright returns, Atlanta will be closer to full strength than it has been in a while.
Will Ozzie Albies need a rehab assignment?
Snitker said the Braves haven’t gotten far enough to discuss whether Ozzie Albies (strained left hamstring) will or will not need a rehab game before coming off the injured list.
“I don’t know that he will (need one),” “He may want (a rehab game) just so he is good in his mind. That situation, as much as anything, it’s for the individual just to feel OK about it.”
Albies is eligible to come off the injured list on Thursday.
Michael Harris II returns
Michael Harris II missed one game with a right foot contusion.
He didn’t miss another.
Harris on Monday returned to the lineup. He went 1-for-5, but the one hit was big.
In the bottom of the third inning, Harris, facing a lefty, smoked an opposite-field, two-run double that tied the game at the time.
Vaughn Grissom has nice game in first start
Vaughn Grissom on Monday started for the first time since the Braves brought him up to fill Albies’ roster spot.
He went 2-for-4 with a double.
It’s possible Grissom will only start against lefties, but he took advantage of the opportunity in Monday’s loss.
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