Atlanta Braves reliever Chris Martin, who left Thursday’s National League Division Series opener with oblique tightness, told reporters he expects to miss the rest of this series versus the St. Louis Cardinals.
Martin injured his left oblique while warming up before the top of the eighth inning and left the game before he had even thrown a pitch. He was scheduled for an MRI Friday.
The Braves are expected to add another pitcher to the roster Friday. Martin then would be ineligible for the NL Championship Series, should the Braves advance, as well as the NLDS.
Martin’s replacement, Luke Jackson, immediately gave up a solo home run to Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, pulling the Cards within 3-2, and St. Louis went on to win the game 7-6.
“It’s not a good position I put those guys in,” Martin told reporters, according to MLB.com. “It’s tough to come in for an inning like that and have to rush to get ready in front of everybody, especially in a freakin’ playoff game like this. It’s tough. I feel really bad.”
“We had the whole thing set up right where we wanted it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “[Losing Martin] was a big blow.”
Martin was acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade-deadline deal. In 20 appearances over 17⅔ innings, he posted a 4.08 ERA.