Two weeks ago, the Braves placed Michael Harris II on the injured list for what seemed to be more precautionary than anything.
At this point, Harris (lower back strain) has not yet taken batting practice. There are no specific plans for a rehab assignment.
Is he surprised it has taken him a bit longer than expected?
“Yes and no,” Harris said Friday. “I know with a back, you can’t really rush it. There’s a lot of things connected to it. So it’s just working out everything and getting everything strong to get focal-point strong.”
Injuries can be tricky. There’s a reason why teams often don’t provide specific timelines. It’s April, so it’s wise for Harris not to risk re-injuring his back or making it worse.
This is important, too: Even though the context of everything said made it seem like Harris would have only a quick stay on the injured list, the Braves never specifically said he would need only the minimum amount of time on the list. They never gave an exact timetable.
On April 7, after the Braves placed Harris on the injured list, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Harris would’ve been sidelined four or five days regardless, so the Braves figured they would just put him on the 10-day injured list and knock out the back strain.
Asked Friday if Harris’ injury turned out to be more serious than initially thought, Snitker said: “I don’t know. Those things, they’re day to day the whole time.”
Harris spent part of Friday afternoon in the Truist Park outfield getting live reads on balls during batting practice. He said he has hit off a tee, but hasn’t hit off a machine or taken batting practice.
“Not trying to rush back into anything,” he said.
Is he able to sprint or run hard?
“Kind of. Yeah, I’ve worked up to it,” Harris said. “Yeah, I’m kind of doing all that now.”
To sum it all up: It seems that Harris is beginning to ramp up baseball activities. He’s progressing, even if he’s not yet ready for a rehab assignment.
Harris is eligible to return when healthy. He’s behind pitcher Collin McHugh (right shoulder inflammation), who already is on a rehab assignment.
When the Braves put him on the injured list, Harris said he likely would’ve played through it if it happened later in the season. This is part of the reason that his injured-list placement seemed somewhat precautionary.
And on Friday, Harris said (again) that the Braves’ medical team found only the strain in his back.
“There was nothing really there, I guess,” he said. “Just some inflammation or a strain. They did everything they could to get me back out here to this point. Just trying to ease my way back so I don’t reaggravate anything.”
Before hitting the injured list, Harris was 5-for-23 with one RBI and two stolen bases. He injured his back while making an incredible leaping catch at the wall in St. Louis.
In Harris’ absence, Sam Hilliard is playing well. The Braves still are winning games, a testament to their depth.
When Harris returns, the Braves will be happy to have him back in the lineup.
“Everybody’s stepping up and winning ballgames, so I can’t complain,” Harris said. “I’m just enjoying watching them play.”
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