ATLANTA — It is a legitimate possibility that Mike Minor won’t pitch another game for the Atlanta Braves this season.
The club moved the veteran left-hander from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL on Saturday because of the lack of improvement in his left shoulder. The procedural move gives the team more flexibility with roster moves.
“We don’t see him coming back any time soon,” Atlanta general manager John Hart said. “We felt this was the right move for the organization and the right thing for Mike, because he’s not close to being out there ready to go.”
Minor’s troubles began in spring training when he was shut down for a couple of weeks because of inflammation in his throwing shoulder. He did not make an appearance during spring training.
Minor had his rehabilitation stifled three weeks ago when he was throwing off a mound and felt some pain.
Minor has undergone several MRIs, which reveal no structural problems. Surgery has not been considered up to this point, but that could change.
“We are trying to stay as patient as we can and Mike is doing everything he can,” Hart said. “At this point, things haven’t progressed.”
The Braves were counting on Minor to be part of their starting rotation, joining Julio Teheran, Alex Wood and Shelby Miller. Minor’s issues forced the club to go out and trade for Trevor Cahill as at No. 5 starter late in spring training.
This is the second season that physical issues have bothered Minor, the team’s first-round draft choice from 2009. In 2014 he began the season on the DL because of tendinitis in his left shoulder.
Minor didn’t make his Braves’ debut until May 2 and wound up going 6-12 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 starts, striking out 120 in 145 1/3 innings.
Atlanta is hopeful that Minor can return to his 2013 form, when he went 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA. Over the second half of the season he was one of the best pitchers in the National League.