DENVER – Outfielder Ramón Laureano departed Saturday’s game after three innings due to right heel soreness, the Braves said.
It seemed Laureano hurt himself in the top of the third inning, on a sprint to first base for an infield single. He appeared to step awkwardly on the bag. Assistant athletic trainer Jeff Stevenson and manager Brian Snitker went out to check on Laureano, who stayed in the game.
In the bottom of the third, Laureano – who started in center field for the second time in as many days – was also involved in an outfield mishap. He perhaps could’ve been more aggressive in charging a fly ball that went between him, right fielder Jorge Soler and second baseman Whit Merrifield. Soler, who ran in and to his right, took charge and dove, but couldn’t come up with it. Two runs scored to tie the game.
Following this play, Snitker noticed that Laureano might’ve hurt himself.
“After the one play, I just saw him limping back to the outfield, and then it’s not OK,” Snitker said. “He’s one of them guys – I gotta kind of put my eyes on him because he’s a gamer. He wants to keep playing, he’s a tough kid. You know what, this outfield is too big to be not full speed, I’ll tell you that. He wanted to give it a go, but we saw him, even coming off of the field after the inning, it was kind of evident that it was bothering him.”
In the top of the fourth, Snitker pinch-hit Adam Duvall for Laureano.
But Laureano’s infield hit began what became a five-run third inning for Atlanta. He’s played well in spots for the Braves.
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