Atlanta Braves Evan Gattis Talks On Going To The DL

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday night that Evan Gattis will be headed to the disabled list with a bulging thoracic disk in his back.  Gattis had an MRI on Monday that showed this and he will sit for at least two weeks….maybe/probably longer.

“The MRI showed I had a bulging disk so I’ll get an epidural some point and after that, we’ll just see,” Gattis said.  “I’m not sure what the timetable will be but I don’t think it will be too long term.  It’s obviously disappointing but I’m just ready to get back and get going.”

Gattis is schedule to receive an epidural on Tuesday to numb the pain away from the back area.  Gattis believes the injury occurred on his first swing last Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“All I know is that I felt it on that swing and I didn’t feel it before then,” said Gattis when asked if he thought the injury happened on the first swing Friday night.

Gattis has never dealt with an injury to his back prior to this and sounded like he wasn’t sure exactly the extent of the injury.

“It kind of felt like a pinch but I didn’t really know what it was,” Evan said.  “The first day I thought it was kind of close to the spine but at first it hurt to breath.  I got some kind of relief when we got an answer and we just have to move on with the solution now.”

Feeling the pain close to the spine and issues breathing is never a good sign.  That kind of  answers a few questions on why the Braves were being quiet about the situation.

“It doesn’t hurt just standing here but just hurts doing certain things and certain ways to bend.”

When asked about what the doctors told him if theres a chance of surgery or just letting it heel on it’s own.

“95% of thoracic spin injuries resolve themselves,” said Gattis.  “I’m going to get the epidural and then have three to five days where I don’t do anything and then we’ll just play it by year.”

Gattis is hitting .290 with 16 home runs and 39 RBIs for the Atlanta Braves and will definitely be missed in his time away from the ball field.  In his place, we’ll see the highly ranked catcher prospect Christian Bethancourt.

“I have no idea yet on the timetable but personally I don’t think it will be very long,” Gattis ended with.