Atlanta Braves: What to Expect When Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, Others Return

Despite having a total of five players currently on the Disabled List and an injured Chipper Jones riding the bench, the Atlanta Braves have managed to keep their lead in the National League Wild Card race and currently sit six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Entering Monday's game with the Washington Nationals, Peter Moylan, Nate McLouth, Scott Linebrink, Kris Medlen and Brian McCann were all on the DL, and Chipper Jones was still ailing on the bench. The Braves haven't had all of their starters on the field together in some two months, but there is light on the horizon.

Here is a look at the progress of those currently injured or on the DL, as well as the dates on which they are expected to return to help bolster the Braves' lineup and make a run at the Phillies in the division.

Chipper Jones

Braves third baseman Chipper Jones started one game after returning from the DL on July 25, just his eighth start in the last month, because of a strained right quad suffered mid-game. Although he has taken batting practice and pinch hit in four games for the team, he still feels he is not ready to return to the field.

Jones is batting .258 this season with nine home runs and 47 RBI for the Braves. Upon returning, Jones will give the Braves a veteran presence in the field and a consistent bat in the lineup, assuming he can stay healthy for a run down the stretch. His return will also push Martin Prado back to the outfield, further improving the Braves' starting eight.

Brian McCann

Braves All-Star catcher Brian McCann strained his left oblique during the team's 19-inning thriller against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26. At the time of his injury, McCann was batting .306 with 18 home runs and 55 RBI. He was also in the midst of a career year in terms of his on-base and slugging percentages, which currently rest at .375 and .514, respectively.

Once McCann returns, the Braves will have their hottest hitter back on the field. The team will also regain some depth on their bench, as David Ross will return to his backup role. If McCann can pick up where he left off when he was injured, he'll likely see his RBI count increase, as the newly acquired Michael Bourn will likely be on-base much more often that McCann was accustomed to seeing when the team used other players in the lead-off role.

Nate McLouth

When the Braves placed outfielder Nate McLouth on the Disabled List on July 29 with a lower abdominal strain, reports surfaced that McLouth had been playing through the injury since the second or third day of the season. Although we'll never know if that was just an excuse for another poor season at the plate or a proven fact, the Braves are short on outfielders once again this season.

Up until he landed on the DL, McLouth was batting .228 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 81 games with the Braves this season. Although he's struggled mightily at the plate this year, his return to the outfield will give the Braves a proven glove in the outfield and a veteran bat, albeit a cold veteran bat, in their lineup.

Peter Moylan

Braves veteran reliever Peter Moylan last appeared in a game on April 14 against the Florida Marlins, but there is good news for the Braves regarding Moylan's health. On July 31, Moylan, who had been sidelined after needing lower back surgery, threw for the first time and reported little to no pain while doing so.

The Braves reported that Moylan will continue throwing off the mound and rebuilding arm strength for the next few weeks before making a handful of minor league rehab appearances. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told the AJC that he expects Moylan to return around the last week of August or the first week of September. This is great news for relievers Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel, as Moylan has proven in the past that he can handle pressure-filled situations and will likely help cut down their appearances and save their arms for a possible postseason run.

Scott Linebrink

Just after acquiring Houston Astros outfielder Michael Bourn, the Braves placed reliever Scott Linebrink on the 15-day Disabled List with a lower back strain to make room for Bourn's arrival. Like Nate McLouth's recent injury, reports have surfaced saying that Linebrink had played through the injury for much of the season before a recent flare-up caused him to land on the DL.

With the exception of the one-pitch, walk-off home run he allowed to Drew Stubbs last week, Linebrink has been very effective out the bullpen this season. He currently has a 4-2 record and a 2.95 ERA in 50 appearances for the Braves this season. He's also recorded one save.

Linebrink's return to the Braves' lineup will further bolster their bullpen, which will feature Eric O'Flaherty and his sub-1.00 ERA, veteran Peter Moylan and Linebrink, and the shut-down duo of Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel in the coming weeks.

Kris Medlen

With the injury bug biting at the Braves all season, the biggest disappointment to date is pitcher Kris Medlen, who has been on the Disabled List all season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Initially, the Braves expected to get Medlen back in mid-August, but a setback in his latest throwing session has caused the Braves to shut down Medlen until late August. This likely means that the Braves will be lucky to see Medlen throw a single pitch in the big leagues this season.

Last year, Medlen stepped up when thrust into the Braves' starting rotation, as he finished 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 14 starts and 31 games with the team. Barring another major setback, he is expected to be ready for 2012.