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Ryan Braun did not play in yesterday’s game, getting what was an expected day off as part of his regular rest. However, this day off ended up for being something a little more serious, as manager Craig Counsell revealed today. Adam McCalvy reports that Ryan Braun will be on limited duty until the All-Star Break due to a knee injury.
Ryan Braun will be limited to pinch-hit/emergency duty until the break. He revealed today that he injured his right knee at the start of last year’s playoffs bad enough that he was restricted from lower body work all winter. The injury flared up the other day.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) July 5, 2019
Over the past few years, Ryan Braun has had his playing time managed due to injuries that he has sustained. Between his thumb, his back, and other injuries suffered over the years, he gets some regular days off to manage all of that. This is a new injury to add to that, and it’s going to hold Braun out until the All-Star Break.
The one strange aspect of this announcement is why Braun was not placed on the IL. With Braun missing yesterday’s game, he could be put on the IL and miss a total of five more games (three leading up to the break, two after the break). It can be backdated to the 4th and he would be eligible to come off on the 14th. In addition, Braun usually gets at least one IL stint during the year to give him some extended time off when the injuries get a little too hard to manage without extended rest. Plus, the Brewers would not have to play with a player down (or on limited duty) for a few days.
If the rest of the team remains healthy, hopefully this will not affect the bench and Braun will be ready to go after the break. However, if another position player is injured in the next few days, he may have to go on the IL to get another player on the bench.