Braves Confirm Lane Thomas Will Miss Time with Injury

The Atlanta Braves will be without Lane Thomas's bat for at least some time. Manager Walt Weiss said after the game that the outfielder would be heading to the injured list.

No details on how long he could be out were provided. Weiss kept it simple.

"That's an IL."

He experienced what was originally ruled to be left-side tightness, and he was scratched from the lineup about 15 or so minutes before first pitch. Weiss added that it was the intercostal muscle, which was tweaked when swinging in the cages right before the game.

Dominic Smith took his spot in the lineup. Brewer Hicklen was moved from being the designated hitter to being the left fielder for the game. The Braves went on to win 3-0 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

With the pending move, the Braves will be without their bat that was acquired at the trade deadline.

Thomas has appeared in 21 games for the Braves since being acquired. So far, he's batted .171 with a .578 OPS, one home run and two stolen bases. Since the calendar has turned over to September, he's appeared in two games, and now he'll be waiting a bit to play in his third.

Brewer Hicklen could see more action in the outfield down the stretch. He's looked solid when he gets at-bats. He's batting .364 with a 1.045 OPS across 28 trips to the plate in the majors this season. However, he wouldn't be an option for facing left-handers.

Kyle Farmer is back on the active roster. He's had success against lefties in his career. Perhaps he could be an option who gets more playing time now. That effort could come in a DH role. He saw action at that position in Triple-A this season, and he's also primarily an infielder, an area that already has its everyday options.

The Braves will host the Philadelphia Phillies starting on Friday. Chris Sale will be on the mound to face Aaron Nola for a 7:15 p.m. first pitch.

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