Mike Minor’s injury leaves Atlanta Braves with two rotation openings

The Atlanta Braves now have to fill two spots in their starting rotation rather than just one.

Left-hander Mike Minor has inflammation in his rotator cuff and will have to start the season on the disabled list.

Minor had an injection in his pitching shoulder and will be shut down from throwing for two weeks. That won’t allow him time in exhibition games to be ready for opening day.

At least the former first-round draft choice won’t need surgery.

“It was about as good of news as we could have had,” said Braves president of baseball operations John Hart.

The Braves already were trying to determine who would be their fifth starter and now they have another opening for April. Hart said the team would likely fill Minors’ rotation spot at the start of the season with one of the pitchers who had been competing for the fifth spot.

“It’s just frustrating more than anything,” said Minor, who missed the first month a year ago because of shoulder woes and was hampered all season by soreness while going 6-12 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 starts.

Veterans Wandy Rodriguez and Eric Stults are competing for starting spots along with youngsters Mike Foltynewicz, Manny Banuelos and Cody Martin. The top three starters are Julio Teheran, Alex Wood and Shelby Miller.

“I’m glad we have depth,” Hart said.

Minor developed tightness after throwing batting practice last week and the Braves scratched him from what was to be his first Grapefruit League start against Houston on March 8.

An MRI showed inflammation and Minor went to see Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Fla., on March 9 for a second opinion that confirmed the original diagnoses.

“They say there is nothing wrong structurally,” Minor said. “Hopefully the stretching and shoulder exercises will knock (the soreness) out. … There is no tearing or frays. (My shoulder) is just weak and that is causing it to pinch.”

As of now, there is no timetable for when Minor could be ready to pitch in April

“We’ll have lost three weeks and we’ll need to build him back up,” Hart said. “We’ll by cautious with him.”

Minor pitched 145 innings last season despite missing April and needing a couple of injections during the season.

“I don’t think this is like what Mike went through last year,” Hart said. “It’s an entirely different situation.”