A Schelling For Your Thoughts

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun was out of the Milwaukee Brewers’ lineup Tuesday night, but the right fielder hopes to be back within a day or two.

Braun strained a ribcage muscle on his right side while making a catch near the outfield fence in Monday night’s game. He left the game after the fifth inning with the Brewers down 10-0 to the Colorado Rockies.

An MRI provided some good news Tuesday.

“I woke up today feeling better than I did yesterday, got an MRI and am very encouraged by the results,” Braun said. “Hopefully it’s something that’s only a day or two instead of what the alternative could have been. It’s something I’m happy about.”

With Braun suffering an injury so early in the season, the Brewers were encouraged by the good news.

Fourth outfielder Gerardo Parra started in Braun’s place in right field, batting sixth. First baseman Adam Lind slid into the No. 3 spot in the Brewers’ lineup.

Braun did hit in the cage before the game and said he might be available off the bench if needed.

“You never want to see that opening day and all of a sudden you’re thinking, ‘Uh oh, already?'” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “So, this isn’t too bad.”

With the injury occurring after the Brewers already trailed the Rockies 10-0, it was unclear whether Braun would have stayed in during a more competitive game.

Having 160 games remaining after Tuesday night, Braun and the Brewers played it safe with a day of rest.

“It’s good,” Braun said. “I’ll get treatment all day today and just continue to do what they tell me to do and hope that I get back in there as soon as possible.

“It’s something between sore and tight, but it’s not something that’s a significant injury.”

The best news for the Brewers is that it’s not Braun’s thumb keeping him out of the lineup.

Braun has been sidelined by similar injuries in the past, but there’s no indication that the latest injury is related to those.

“Any time you’re talking about obliques or intercostals or whatever, it’s easy to redo those things,” Roenicke said.