SAN FRANCISCO – You cannot make this stuff up.
On the same day Michael Harris II returned from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Jorge Soler exited the game as a precaution due to left hamstring tightness – the same reason Harris departed a mid-June contest.
In the top of the fourth inning, Soler felt the hamstring tightness when he sprinted out of the batter’s box after hitting a chopper to the left side of the mound.
After the game, Soler, speaking through interpreter Franco García, said he felt “good.” He said he’ll receive an MRI in San Francisco on Thursday.
Is he concerned about landing on the injured list?
“To be honest, I don’t know,” Soler said.
About 10 minutes before Soler spoke, his manager, Brian Snitker, didn’t seem too worried.
“No, it didn’t seem that bad,” Snitker said. “I think he said he felt like he could’ve kept going, but he felt something. So I’m glad he said something.”
The Braves, of course, won’t know anything for sure until Soler is evaluated on Thursday. He won’t play in the series finale versus the Giants. Jarred Kelenic replaced him on Wednesday, and Kelenic will likely start Thursday’s game.
No team deserves to deal with an injury, but especially not the Braves. They’ve had to endure so many of them so far – including Harris’ hamstring strain.
Soler has been on fire for Atlanta. On Wednesday, he led off the game with a hit by pitch and later scored during the Braves’ five-run first inning. Soler is 11-for-31 with two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs over his last nine games, including Wednesday.
Soler on Wednesday extended his on-base streak to 22 games. It’s the second-longest active run in baseball, behind Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm, who has reached base in 31 straight games.
Yes, Soler has brought the Braves more power. But he also has five walks since joining the Braves.
“And that’s what we knew the last time we had him, that he’s not just a wild swinger,” Snitker said. “He takes his walks. Kind of felt like he was on the verge, after the last series, and even this series, of kind of getting going, so hopefully this thing doesn’t sideline him for very long.”
Thus far, Soler is enjoying his second stint with the Braves.
“Yeah, I’ve had a really good time with the guys here, I feel like it’s been a lot of positive vibes, and we all share the same goal – to go out and win,” he said.
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