Atlanta Braves C Brian McCann to Be Activated from Disabled List Monday
By Brad Rowland
When the Atlanta Braves take the field in Cincinnati on Monday, they will be greeted by the pleasant site of their six-time All-Star catcher in an active uniform.
Brian McCann, who has been sidelined for the entirety of the 2013 season after off-season surgery to repair a torn labrum, will be activated from the disabled list on Monday and, presumably, will be in the middle of the Atlanta line-up. McCann belted 4 home runs during a 6-game rehab stint in Rome (Class A), and that power surge was enough to impress Fredi Gonzalez and Frank Wren enough to allow McCann to return.
In addition to his 6 All-Star appearances, the Atlanta catcher is a career .279/.351/.475 hitter for a .826 OPS, and with 156 career home runs, McCann is among the most decorated and accomplished catchers in the big leagues today. His return will likely cut in to the playing time of rookie “phenom” Evan Gattis (who has 7 home runs and a .565 slugging percentage so far this season), but McCann is a proven commodity, and the Braves should be ecstatic to see their big, left-handed bat return to the lineup.