Braves' Freeman To Miss Ten Weeks With Broken Wrist

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta Braves superstar Freddie Freeman will miss more than two months after being hit by a pitch that broke his wrist Wednesday night. The hard-slugging first baseman, who was on pace for an All-Star season, was placed on the 10-day disabled list by the club Thursday afternoon.

In a statement, the Braves said Freeman suffered a non-displaced left wrist fracture after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game with the Toronto Blue Jays. The wrist will be placed in a cast for four weeks and Freeman is expected to miss about 10 weeks of action, the team said.

Freeman, 27, leads the National League with 14 home runs this season and ranks among league leaders in virtually every other offensive category. Entering Thursday, he ranks third in runs scored (35), sixth in batting average (.341), second in extra-base hits (26), second in on-base percentage (.461) and second in slugging percentage (.748).

The Braves have recalled infielder Rio Ruiz from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill his roster slot.

Freeman's injury came during a contentious game during which the benches cleared twice during an 8-4 win for the Braves. Blue Jays pitchers have hit seven Braves batters during the current series between the two teams.

Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz hit leadoff batter Devon Travis the inning after Freeman was injured and benches cleared when the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista flipped his bat and stared down Braves pitcher Eric O'Flaherty after an eighth-inning, solo home run.

Major League Baseball has launched an investigation into the Blue Jay's Kevin Pillar reportedly using a homophobic slur while yelling at Braves pitcher Jason Motte, who had just struck him out.

The two teams will face off again at 7:35 p.m. Thursday at SunTrust Park.

Photo courtesy Atlanta Braves