Braves CF Michael Harris Not Cleared for Batting Practice Yet

Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris hasn’t been cleared to take batting practice yet.

Michael Harris II (lower back strain) has not yet been cleared to take batting practice, Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) April 21, 2023

Harris has been out of action since April 7 due to a lower back strain. This injury was initially considered minor and thought to only keep Harris out the minimum amount of time on the injured list. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case, as Harris has no timetable to return to the Braves. Once he can swing a bat, he’ll likely have a rehab stint before returning to the Braves lineup. The best-case scenario is a return later this month, but early May is more likely.

The Braves got some good news Friday as closer Raisel Iglesias, also on the IL with inflammation in his shoulder, threw without incident on Friday and is scheduled to return later this month. A.J. Minter has been closing games for the Braves with Iglesias unavailable.

On Saturday, the Braves will have Kyle Wright starting versus Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros. The Braves are +170 (+1.5) on the run line and -105 on the moneyline, with an over/under of 8.5, over (+100), and under (-120).

You can find the lines and props for this game and all others on the FanDuel Sportsbook.