As the Atlanta Braves took the field on Tuesday night, Johan Camargo suffered a freak injury unlike any seen in baseball.
When Camargo made his way to the infield he reached down to grab dirt in front of the chalk line. While doing this, he stubbed his toe into the dirt and tripped on the grass in front of the first base bag. First baseman Freddie Freeman stood with his hands on his hips, slightly shaking his head with a smirk on his face. Yet when Camargo hit the grass he stayed there, grasping his right knee. He would need assistance from third base coach Ron Washington and assistant trainer Jim Lovell off the field, putting no wait on his right leg.
Johan Camargo suffered a hyper-extended right knee prior to tonight’s game. He will be further evaluated after undergoing an MRI tonight.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 9, 2017
Braves Shortstop Johan Camargo Suffers Hyperextended Knee in Strange Injury
The Atlanta Braves have suffered their share of freak injuries this season. A stolen police cruiser struck Sean Rodriguez and his family on January 28. This resulted in shoulder surgery for Rodriguez that sidelined him until just after the All-Star break. But Camargo’s injury is beyond strange.
Most players don’t hurt themselves as the team runs onto the field to start the game. Also, most players don’t hurt themselves during their pre-game ritual. Camargo takes the field the same way for every inning he has played in a Braves uniform. Yet it could result in him missing valuable time after proving himself worthy of the full-time starting job at shortstop.
Dansby Swanson—the Braves higher-touted rookie shortstop—was immediately pulled from Triple-A Gwinnett’s game just after Camargo’s injury. This would mean Swanson being called up from his short stint in Gwinnett to try and reclaim himself as the everyday shortstop. The only other Braves options would be starting utility players Danny Santana or Jace Peterson full-time.
Whatever option Atlanta chooses won’t make up for Camargo’s production since becoming the Braves everyday shortstop. The reason for demoting Swanson to Triple-A was to get him at-bats, because of Camargo’s steady production . Since July 5, Camargo has bat .309 with 15 runs and 13 extra base-hits, starting 24 of Atlanta’s last 25 games. He was developing as a hitter, while already showcasing stellar defense with a cannon arm.
If Camargo is to miss notable time due to this awkward injury, the Braves will have to speed the process of getting Dansby Swanson opportunities to prove his stake again at shortstop.
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