Catcher Travis d’Arnaud (thumb) is expected to conclude his rehab assignment and rejoin the Braves on Wednesday, manager Brian Snitker said Tuesday. D’Arnaud has been out since May 1 after tearing a thumb ligament and undergoing subsequent surgery.
The veteran backstop was in Triple-A Gwinnett’s lineup Tuesday, where he worked with rehabbing starter Ian Anderson (shoulder inflammation). D’Arnaud played six games in Gwinnett before Tuesday, going 4-for-17 with an RBI and two runs. He delivered a walk-off single Sunday.
The Braves are eager for d’Arnaud’s return. They’ve used several catching combinations over the past few months, most recently relying on veterans Stephen Vogt, who started Tuesday, and Kevan Smith. D’Arnaud was off to a slow start this season, hitting .220 before his injury, but he had a career year in 2020. He hit .321/.386/.533 with nine homers and 34 RBIs, helping create one of the best offense’s in franchise history.
D’Arnaud, 32, will rejoin the team at an important juncture. The Braves will be in the middle of a three-game series against Cincinnati, which also is competing for a playoff spot in the National League. The Braves begin a nine-game trip this weekend against a trio of struggling clubs in Washington, Miami and Baltimore.
Braves notes:
- The Braves began their final series against the NL Central on Tuesday when they hosted the Reds. As inconsistent as these Braves have been, they’ve consistently fared well against the Central.
They’re 20-11 (.645) against the division entering Tuesday. The 20 such wins are more than the Cardinals (19) and Pirates (12) have won within their division.
- Outfielder Eddie Rosario joined Gwinnett on Tuesday. Rosario, acquired at the trade deadline from Cleveland, has been sidelined since July 7 by an abdominal strain. Rosario was hitting .254 with 15 doubles, seven homers and 46 RBIs across 78 games with the Indians. He’ll further bolster the Braves’ outfield, which has been totally reworked in the past month.
- The trio of new outfielders - Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler and Adam Duvall - has combined for 1.2 fWAR across 39 games. They’ve hit eight homers with 27 RBIs in that span.
- In other catcher developments, prospect William Contreras, who was demoted to Triple-A following struggles in the majors, has found a groove at the plate. He’s hit .352 and reached base in 21 of 25 games since joining Gwinnett on July 8.
He has 15 extra-base hits, including eight home runs. Contreras likely won’t be a factor for the Braves down the stretch, but finishing strong would be a nice way to build momentum before he begins a roster bid in spring 2022.
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