Ryan Braun Injury: Updates on Brewers OF's Side and Return

Opening Day couldn't have gone much worse for the Milwaukee Brewers. First, they lost 10-0 at home to the Colorado Rockies. Then came news that Ryan Braun suffered an injury in the defeat. He will return Friday versus the Pirates.

Continue for updates.    

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Braun Will Play vs. Pirates

Friday, April 10

MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reported that Braun will return versus Pittsburgh on Friday.

On April 7, Braun was absent from the Brewers' starting lineup against the Rockies. 

Braun commented on his status, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

On April 6, when Gerardo Parra replaced Braun in the middle of the blowout Opening Day loss, some wondered whether Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was simply resting one of his star players in a game Milwaukee wasn't going to win anyway.

Instead, Rosiak reported the former National League MVP had a strain in his right side that forced him to depart. Braun went 0-for-2 before his day ended.

It's no secret that the 31-year-old has been a shell of his former self over the past two years. He played in only 61 games in 2013 before incurring a 65-game suspension from MLB for his role in the Biogenesis scandal. A thumb injury also limited him in 2014.

Nobody's expecting Braun to repeat his MVP season of 2011, but he'll have to be better than he was last year for the Brewers to contend in the National League Central.