The Atlanta Braves placed slugging first baseman Freddie Freeman on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday after an MRI and CT scan revealed a non-displaced left wrist fracture.The team said Freeman will wear a cast for four weeks. He is expected to miss 10 weeks, according to the team.Freeman's injury delivers a big hit to the Braves' already thin infield. The team placed third baseman Adonis Garcia on the disabled list with Achilles tendinitis before Wednesday's game.Braves general manager John Coppolella said he "will leave no stone unturned'' in his search for help at first base through a trade. He said veteran first baseman Ryan Howard, who was released from Triple-A Gwinnett on May 8, is not an option.
Jace Peterson is starting at first base Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays and batting sixth."He's irreplaceable,'' Peterson said of Freeman. "I'm not going out there to do what Freddie Freeman does. I don't think that's possible.''The Braves recalled infielder Rio Ruiz from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. Ruiz is starting at third base Thursday night, eighth.Ruiz played in five games with Atlanta last season. The 22-year-old was hitting .262 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 37 games with Gwinnett.Ruiz and utility infielder Johan Camargo were working at first base before batting practice on Thursday.Freeman left Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after being struck on his wrist by a pitch from Aaron Loup in the fifth inning."Obviously, this is quite disappointing,'' Freeman said, wearing a green cast on his left wrist. "Obviously it's a tough blow. I'm going to do everything I can to get back as soon as I can.''Freeman said he knows Loup had "no intent'' to hit him with the pitch. "He was just trying to get me out,'' Freeman said. "The best way to get me out is to throw inside. He just threw one that got away.''Freeman said he feared he suffered a fracture when first examined by trainer Jim Lovell on the field and Lovell :told me to squeeze his hand and obviously I couldn't do it.''No surgery will be required.The umpires initially ruled that Loup's pitch did not hit Freeman. But with Freeman in obvious pain, the Braves challenged the call, and it was reversed after a video review.Freeman is batting .341 this season and he is tied for the major league lead with 14 homers.
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