Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons exits game early with ankle injury
By Brad Rowland
UPDATE: The Braves have released an update on the status of Simmons.
SS Andrelton Simmons left tonight's game with right ankle inflammation. He is day-to-day.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 28, 2014
—–
The Atlanta Braves have had an incredibly uneven season in 2014, with an offense near the bottom of the league and a pitching staff that has wholly overachieved compared to their perceived talent level. However, if there is a single constant with Atlanta, it has been the defensive wizardry of shortstop Andrelton Simmons, and Braves fans are holding their collective breath after he was removed from Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox.
Uggla enters the game at second, Pena moves to shortstop for Simmons who was removed. Was in dugout talking w/Fredi during bot 7. #Braves
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) May 28, 2014
It should be noted that no diagnosis has been levied on Simmons to this point, but with the game very much in hand, it would be incredibly unlikely that he was removed for anything but an injury concern. As noted by Kevin McAlpin above, the Braves were forced to shift their only remaining shortstop option, Ramiro Pena, to that position, with the much-maligned Dan Uggla entering the game at second base. Needless to say, this is a less than optimal outlook for Atlanta if the injury is serious in any way.
The 24-year-old Simmons was the recipient of MLB’s Platinum Glove award at the shortstop position in 2013, and he is widely considered to be the best defensive player in all of baseball. In addition, Simmons has become a very solid hitter when compared to his position, and he has followed up a 17-homer season in 2013 by slugging more than .400 in his second full year. More information is sure to come out on this situation, but the Atlanta Braves desperately need this to go well for Andrelton Simmons.