That didn’t take long: Atlanta Braves already have 1st spring injury
It might be nothing, but when you’re a 36-year-old pitcher, there isn’t much that can be considered ‘nothing’ as the Atlanta Braves may have to weigh options.
There’s at least one pitcher who won’t make his reporting date today. New Atlanta Braves lefty starter Cole Hamels is seeing a Dallas doctor about a workout injury.
Cole Hamels “irritated his shoulder” during offseason workouts. He’s visiting with doctor in Dallas. Team doesn’t think it’s major. He’ll be evaluated further in 3 weeks.
— Gabe Burns (@GabeBurnsAJC) February 12, 2020
We have a ‘second opinion’ on the this report as well:
Cole Hamels irritated pitching shoulder doing weighted-ball exercises, #Braves’ Snitker said. Hamels is in Dallas, will be re-evaluated in 3 weeks. Hope is that it’s nothing serious and he’ll have time to get ready.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 12, 2020
On balance, that’s probably good news, but full recovery will almost certainly take more than the noted 3 weeks (since that’s the timetable for re-evaluation… not throwing).
At least it sounds like something that Hamels did during one of his own routine workouts… it wasn’t like he crashed a dirt bike or fell off a horse or anything like that.
Beyond that, there’s got to be a concern about the time Hamels will lose in the process of getting his Spring work done.
Optimism from O’Brien aside, there probably a better-than-50% chance that Hamels won’t be ready for Opening Day in Phoenix on March 26.
That fact may or may not be directly related to this new piece of news:
Josh Tomlin is returning to the Braves with a Minor League deal.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) February 12, 2020
Tomlin worked as a reliever for the Atlanta Braves in 51 appearances last season (3.74 ERA), but also had one start – no problem switching over since that’s how most of his career had been spent prior to 2018.
His re-signing will give the Braves yet another option beyond ‘the kids’ and ‘the King’ (Felix Hernandez) should this shoulder issue with Cole Hamels turn into anything that lingers longer.
Still, it’s not a good start as Hamels was being counted on as more than just a member of the starting rotation. This is the time of the year in which that veteran mentoring and teaching is most effective, and the fact that he’s not in North Port has to be concerning from that angle as well.
Next. We have some answers. dark
Best thing we can hope right now is that he gets out of Dallas quickly with a positive prognosis… and then we’ll proceed from there.