The Atlanta Braves received good news regarding one of their best starters, as an MRI revealed that Tommy Hanson is only dealing with a small tear in his rotator cuff.
While that may sound like an issue, Hanson and the Braves believe that he will be able to return for the team this season. The exam showed no damage to Hanson’s labrum and the rest of his shoulder.
Hanson last pitched for the Braves August 6th, when the Mets hammered him for 7 runs on 8 hits in only 3.1 innings. Atlanta waited a week, hoping Hanson could avoid an extended trip to the disabled list, but ultimately shut down their starter with shoulder tendinitis.
It was the second time this season tendinitis caused Hanson to hit the DL, as the right hander also missed a few weeks in June.
Once he returned for the Braves, Hanson tossed 3 quality starts in a row, including a pair of games in which he logged 7 innings while only surrendering a single run.
But Hanson again struggled following the All-Star break. Over his last 5 starts, Hanson has allowed 24 earned runs on 36 hits in 26.2 innings, increasing his ERA from 2.44 to 3.60.
Atlanta, who is 6 games back of the Phillies in the NL East, has a comfortable 8.5 game lead in the Wild Card race over the Giants and is hoping to get Hanson back for the end of the season and then their playoff run.
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