Less than a month ago Braves catcher Brian McCann said he was optimistic about being ready to return from shoulder surgery by Opening Day, but apparently that optimism has vanished.
“I’m not close,” McCann told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Just started hitting off a tee. I started throwing last week, from 45 feet. Sixty feet this week. I’ve thrown a total of six times. Next week hopefully at 90 feet, and just go from there. I’ve got to build my arm strength back up.”
So what’s the new timetable? Well, he hasn’t officially been ruled out for Opening Day, but O’Brien writes that “doctors won’t clear him for full-on playing in games until April 15.” Which seems to suggest the new “optimistic” return date is probably late April and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if McCann doesn’t play at all during the season’s first month.