Posted at 4:31 p.m., Friday, July 6, 2007
MLB: Braves put Smoltz on 15-day disabled list
Associated Press
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves placed pitcher John Smoltz on the 15-day disabled list on Friday after an MRI found inflammation — but apparently no structural damage — in his right shoulder.The Braves said the MRI also showed a "good" rotator cuff, and as a result Smoltz will not travel to Birmingham, Ala., to meet with Dr. James Andrews, as had been tentatively planned.
Smoltz, 40, was placed on the disabled list retroactive to July 3. He will be eligible to come off the DL on July 18. He will miss Tuesday's All-Star game in San Francisco as well as Saturday's scheduled start at San Diego.
On Thursday, Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt was named to replace Smoltz on the NL All-Star team.
Manager Bobby Cox, who hoped to avoid putting Smoltz on the disabled list, said the right-hander is expected to be ready to go when he's eligible to be activated.
"He's ready," Cox said. "He didn't think it was much anyway. It never hurts."
Smoltz, who has experienced persistent discomfort in the shoulder, left the team in Los Angeles on Wednesday to return to Atlanta for Friday's examination with team doctors.
Smoltz (9-5, 3.07 ERA) got the decision in an 8-2 loss to the Dodgers on Monday night after giving up three runs and seven hits over six innings and striking out six. He has lost three of five starts since tweaking his shoulder on May 29.
Left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes, who was a combined 10-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 starts with Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Richmond, has been announced as Saturday's starter and will be making his major league debut against the Padres.
Reyes, from Riverside, Calif., will make another start after the All-Star break, before Smoltz returns.
"I met his parents in Los Angeles," Cox said. "I knew we were considering this but I couldn't tell them for sure. The kid's really doing well."
