Lane Thomas lands on IL as underwhelming Braves tenure gets worse

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Lane Thomas. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lane Thomas lands on IL as underwhelming Braves tenure gets worse

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Sep 10, 2026 5:20 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves had a bit of an underwhelming performance during the MLB trade deadline.

A team that could've used a bit more offensive production only acquired one bat, outfielder Lane Thomas from the Kansas City Royals.

Thomas certainly hadn't yet made an impact, and with an announcement from Braves manager Walt Weiss on Thursday, he won't be making one anytime soon.

Lane Thomas is headed to the injured list

Thomas was in the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays but was scratched with what the team later revealed to be a side injury.

Weiss revealed after the game that Thomas suffered an intercostal strain in the batting cages before the game and that will cause him to hit the injured list and possibly miss the remainder of the season.

Lane Thomas was a late scratch just before the game. He could to miss the remainder of the season with an intercostal strain.

This could mean a few more opportunities for Brewer Hicklen, who's made the most of limited chances (8-for-24 with 6 BB). https://t.co/YoliShNRaL
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) September 10, 2026

Lane Thomas has been struggling since being traded

Thomas was slashing .232/.326/.393 with the Royals prior to being traded, and those numbers have drastically decreased since arriving in Atlanta.

Through 41 at-bats, Thomas has managed just a .171/.261/.317 slash line with four extra-base hits and 15 strikeouts. His season average has dropped from .232 to .224 in that stretch, and Thomas has just three hits over his last 23 at-bats.

Atlanta will need outfielder Brewer Hicklen or some others to step up in Thomas' absence and help the Braves hold onto their four-game lead in the National League East.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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