With a swing of the bat, Tyler Flowers strained his oblique and found himself on the disabled list.
The next night, Kurt Suzuki was hit with a fastball on his right hand. He tried to keep playing, but it just kept swelling. Now he's day-to-day.
Two games into the season, and two Atlanta Braves catchers are injured.
It could be a lot worse. Manager Brian Snitker said Suzuki is day-to-day with a bruise. All the other tests came back negative.
"I know he’s really sore. We’ll try and stay away from him," Snitker said before the Braves' game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. "If he misses a couple of days, I didn’t want to either put him on the DL then three or days later have him ready to go."
Suzuki said he suffered a similar injury when he played for the Oakland A's and came back too quickly. Just two games in out of 162, he's not looking to rush back.
"We got to make sure everything’s feeling good before I go out there," Suzuki said in front of his locker. "I haven’t gripped a bat or thrown a ball yet. That’s the next step."
Enter the third-string catcher who was one of the final additions to the Opening Day roster, Chris Stewart. He's been in the majors for 12 seasons. The Braves called Stewart, 36, two days before spring training, and he spent plenty of time with the pitchers throughout camp.
That's helping him feel confident as the third starting catcher for the Braves in as many days.
"I prepare for 162 regardless if I’m going to start in the minor leagues or I’m up here as the third catcher," Stewart said. "I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. Can’t train as a backup."
Stewart's numbers appear to be on the decline after a few good seasons between 2011 and 2015. He may not provide the kind of power and reliable hitting that the Braves have become accustomed to from Flowers and Suzuki.
Last season the Braves catchers combined for 29 doubles, 31 home runs and 99 RBIs. The pair had the highest WAR at 5.1 among catchers in the MLB and had the highest slugging percentage, according to Fangraphs. Their 31 home runs were also the most.
Snitker said the injuries were sickening.
"I’m just thinking man, it kind sickens your stomach because you’re not built to withstand that. Nobody is. We were in a good position," Snitker said. "No team is funded to lose your top two guys catching."
Again, it could be worse. Suzuki said he could return as early as the Washington Nationals series next week.
"I was pretty disheartened last night. Obviously the way I was feeling after spring training and just physically and catching wise," he said. "Everything was just clicking. I was looking forward to getting off to a good start this year."
