Tuesday afternoon, the Braves placed 44 year old Bartolo Colon on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. This season has been a struggle for the veteran right hander, as he’s posted a 9.21 ERA (43 ER/42 IP) over his last nine starts. Opponents were slashing .378/.419/.628 with 23 doubles, one triple and eight homers over that span and the team was just 3-6
in those 9 outings. Last night, the last place Phillies touched Colon up for eight earned runs while recording just eleven outs.
Manager Brian Snitker said Colon has been undergoing treatment for his oblique for quite some time. The injury could have led him to alter or change his mechanics, which could explain the drastic difference in his numbers from last year. In 2016, Bartolo made 33 starts for the Mets, posting a 3.43 ERA, en route to a 15 win season.
So, where do the Braves go from here? With a doubleheader set for Saturday, the club will likely call upon two starters from Gwinnett. The two most logical candidates are Lucas Sims and Matt Wisler, each of whom are currently on Atlanta’s 40 man roster. Sean Newcomb, the 23 year old southpaw is also knocking on the door but will likely get more time at Triple-A. And Kris Medlen, who has spent the last few months recovering from a shoulder injury suffered last season will continue to progress slowly. Medlen has made four starts between the Class-A Fire Frogs and Double-A Mississippi.
@KevinMcAlpin covers the Braves for @680_The_Fan and the @BravesRadioNet.