The Braves have placed 28-year old lefty reliever Eric O’Flaherty on the 15-day disabled list, but he is more than likely done for the season due to a torn UCL in his left elbow.  He is going to visit Dr. James Andrews next weekend to determine if he needs Tommy John Surgery.  O’Flaherty pitched in 19 games (0 starts) for the Braves this year and he was 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.  This is a huge loss for the Braves, who are already without fellow lefty reliever Jonny Venters for the whole 2013 season due to Tommy John Surgery.  The Braves have called up 25-year old righty reliever Cory Rasmus for his first shot at the show.  He pitched in 19 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the Braves this year and he is 1-1 with 7 saves, a 0.93 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 125 games (35 starts) in his first seven years in the minors and he is 15-22 with 17 saves, a 3.67 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.

The Atlanta Braves have placed 25-year old righty reliever Jordan Walden on the 15-day disabled list due to right shoulder inflammation.  Walden has pitched in 14 games (0 starts) for the Braves so far this year and he is 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP.  Walden was solid in April, but he just hasn’t looked right in May and know we know why.  Walden has pitched in 4 games (0 starts) so far in May and he is 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA and a 3.86 WHIP.  The Braves will likely give Walden as much time as he needs to get healthy.

28-year old lefty reliever Jonny Venters had Tommy John Surgery earlier today and it will cause him to miss all of the 2013 season and at least part of the 2014 regular season.  Venters pitched in 66 games (0 starts) for the Braves last year and he was 5-4 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP.  Venters has pitched in 230 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Braves and he is 15-10 with 6 saves, a 2.23 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  Venters has given up 175 hits and 110 walks in his first 229 2/3 innings while whiffing 258 batters, which is pretty impressive.  He was a National League All-Star in 2011 for the Braves.  The Braves are going to miss Venters as he is one of the best lefty relievers in all of baseball.

The Braves have placed 35-year old righty reliever Luis Ayala on the 15-day disabled list due to anxiety disorder.  Ayala has pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Braves so far this year and he is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.  The Braves have called up 27-year old righty reliever David Carpenter to replace Ayala in the bullpen.  Carpenter has pitched in 6 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the Braves so far this year and he is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.  He has pitched in 67 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-5 with 1 save, a 5.70 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.

The Braves have lost 23-year old lefty swinging starting RF Jason Heyward indefinitely as he had an appendectomy in Denver yesterday.  He has played in 17 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 7 for 58 (.121 avg, .519 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 2 homers, 5 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  36-year old righty swinging Reed Johnson and 26-year old lefty swinging Jordan Schafer will likely share RF until Heyward returns to action.  Johnson has played in 12 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 2 for 16 (.125 avg, .364 OPS) with 1 run scored.  Schafer has played in 9 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 4 for 9 (.444 avg, 1.056 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases.  The Braves hope that Johnson and Schafer can hold down the fort until Heyward returns to action.  The Braves also hope that Heyward will start hitting like he can when he comes back.

The Braves have placed 27-year old lefty swinging infielder Blake DeWitt on the 15-day disabled list due to a lower back strain.  DeWitt has played in 4 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 1 for 3 (.333 avg, 1.000 OPS).  The Braves have called up 27-year old righty reliever David Carpenter to replace DeWitt on the active roster.  Carpenter pitched in 4 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the Braves this year and he was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.  He has pitched in 67 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-5 with 1 save, a 5.70 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.

The Braves have placed 31-year old righty reliever Christian Martinez on the 15-day disabled list due to a right shoulder sprain.  Martinez has pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Braves this year and he is 0-0 with a 7.71 ERA and a 2.14 WHIP.  He has given up 5 hits in only 2 1/3 innings for the Braves so far this year.  Martinez has now pitched in 120 games (0 starts) in his first four years with the Braves and he is 6-7 with 1 save, a 3.86 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.  The Braves have added Luis Ayala to the active roster by putting Martinez on the D.L.

The Braves have placed starting 1B Freddie Freeman on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained right oblique muscle.  Freeman has played in 5 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 7 for 17 (.412 avg, 1.121 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs.  The Braves hope that Freeman will be back in 2-3 weeks.  Chris Johnson will replace Freeman at 1B with Juan Francisco starting full-time at 3B until Freeman is ready to return to action.  Johnson has played in 3 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 2 for 7 (.286 avg, .804 OPS) with 1 run scored.  Francisco has played in 4 games for the Braves so far this year and he is 3 for 12 (.250 avg, .500 OPS) with 3 runs scored.  The Braves should be o.k. until Freeman is ready to return to action.  The Braves have called up 27-year old lefty infielder Blake DeWitt to replace Freeman on the active roster.  DeWitt played in 1 game in AAA-ball for the Braves this year and he was 1 for 3 (.333 avg, .667 OPS) with 1 run scored.

The Braves have placed 28-year old lefty reliever Jonny Venters on the 15-day disabled list due to a sprained left elbow.  He has scheduled an appointment to see Dr. James Andrews and that is never a good thing.  Venters pitched in 66 games (0 starts) for the Braves last year and he was 5-4 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP.  Venters has now pitched in 230 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Braves and he was 15-10 with 6 saves, a 2.23 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  The Braves are going to miss Venters if he has to miss a big chunk of the 2013 season.

UPDATE:  (4/2/2013) - Venters will be shut down for at least four weeks.  He will probably miss all of April and May for the Braves.

The Braves have placed 29-year old lefty swinging catcher Brian McCann on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 22nd due to a right shoulder injury.  McCann played in 121 games for the Braves last year and he was 101 of 439 (.230 avg, .698 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 20 homers, 67 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  He has now played in 1,003 games in his first 8 years with the Braves and he is 979 of 3,507 (.279 avg, .826 OPS) with 421 runs scored, 156 homers, 604 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.  33-year old righty swinging Gerald Laird and 26-year old righty swinging rookie Evan Gattis will share P.T. at catcher until McCann is ready to return to action.  Laird will be the starter.  He played in 63 games for the Tigers last year and he was 49 for 174 (.282 avg, .710 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 2 homers and 11 RBIs.  He has now played in 698 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 532 of 2,177 (.244 avg, .662 OPS) with 290 runs scored, 37 homers, 215 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.  Gattis played in 74 games in Rookie+A+AA-ball for the Braves last year and he was 83 for 272 (.305 avg, .995 OPS) with 40 runs scored, 18 homers, 67 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  He has now played in 222 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 256 for 832 (.308 avg, .920 OPS) with 131 runs scored, 44 homers, 167 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.  The Braves will likely be o.k. at catcher until McCann gets ready to return to action.