The injury bug has been fond of the Braves since the All-Star break. Right when we get some positive news regarding Dansby Swanson and Austin Riley, two catchers in the organization go down on the same night. Brian McCann left the game with some soreness in his left knee. Brian Snitker couldn’t update us with much information after the game. McCann will be undergoing tests tonight, see how it feels tomorrow, and then the Braves will have a better idea. No injury is good news, but especially when it involves McCann, who has clearly been the teams’ most reliable catcher all season.
To make matters even worse, the catcher that would typically fill his spot on the roster, Alex Jackson, also was forced to exit his game in Gwinnett after being hit by a foul ball. As things stand now, both injuries do not seem to be serious, but there is a chance the Braves are forced to look down their organization and add another catcher to the major-league roster for a few days.
Atlanta did acquire John Ryan Murphy for depth at the position before the trade deadline. They probably never thought they would have to use him, but if both injuries are severe enough, he makes the most sense to assume the backup role to Tyler Flowers. Murphy’s hit .219 with 18 home runs in 258 career major league games. He’s currently batting .250 with one home run in seven contests for Gwinnet since being traded.