The Atlanta Braves have placed catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain, the team has announced. The club has called up utility infielder Tyler Pastornicky from Triple-A to take Gattis' spot on the active roster.
Braves place Evan Gattis on DL with oblique injury
Atlanta’s surprise star behind the plate (and in the outfield) will be sidelined at least a couple weeks with a right oblique strain.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport
More Braves: Down Goes Gattis
Gattis, 26, has surprised everyone by putting together mammoth numbers at the platet in his rookie campaign. Originally promoted to be a stopgap until Brian McCann returned from his offseason shoulder surgery, Gattis took the league by storm in April. Forced to keep him around when McCann was activated in early May, the Braves pushed Gattis into left field to keep him in the lineup.
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The young right-hander will make his MLB debut Tuesday in the nightcap of New York's double-header against the Braves. While Gattis has struggled to work a walk in the early goings of his MLB career, his ability to mash when he makes contact has more than made up for his on-base troubles. The righty slugger is batting .252/.317/.587 with 14 home runs in 183 plate appearances on the season, giving him a stellar rate of one long ball for every 12 ABs.
Pastornicky has been hitting well at Triple-A this year -- batting .309/.351/.429 with four home runs in 57 games -- but he won’t come close to replicating Gattis’ production at the plate. A middle infielder by trade, Pastornicky has seen a few games in the outfield at Gwinnett this year, so the Braves could use him out there if they’re desperate.
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