More Atlanta Braves Rotation Woes Mike Minor Moves to 60 Day DL
By Fred Owens
Mike Minor’s ongoing shoulder issues created an unexpected problem for the Atlanta Braves rotation for the rest of the year. Braves GM John Hart told Michael Cunningham of the AJC that the Braves moved lefty Mike Minor to the 60 day DL today because the shoulder wasn’t improving .
Braves Rotation Plans Change Again
At the beginning of the year the Braves rotation looked set except for the fifth starter. We’d see Julio Teheran, Mike Minor, Shelby Miller , Alex Wood and a pitcher to be named later from Wandy Rodriguez – fresh off failing a physical for the Phillies -, Mike Foltynewicz, Manny Banuelos and a late January addition of Eric Stults.
Spring training started with everyone looking good and Minor making good progress on his way back to 2013 form. While Rodriguez started like a house on fire he burned out before the end and the Braves Released him.
Folty had to shake off the pitching corrections he learned in Houston and gain his control so he went to Gwinnett along with Banuelos who suffered similar control issues. The Braves traded for Trevor Cahill on the day before the season opened. He was needed because all the good signs from minor had turned into warning signs.
Minor made his first spring training start but felt a little discomfort and left the game. His next start was pushed back, then it was pushed back again and eventually Minor would start the season on the DL as a precaution. They expected him back this month, but two weeks ago he said the discomfort was still there and although the MRI was clean he was going to see Dr. Andrews for another opinion. Since that point the silence has been deafening, until today when we found that he hasn’t picked up a baseball lately.
"“Right now there are still some issues there,” Hart said. . . . We don’t see him coming back anytime soon. . . There has not been any measurable improvement that you want to see,” Hart said. “We’ve taken the MRIs. We are trying to stay as patient as we can and Mike is doing everything he can. At this point, things haven’t progressed. “"
Those ladies and gents are not optimistic words. It sounds like Minor’s shoulder hurts but they don’t know why. That’s not unusual for a shoulder injury.