Chipper Jones lands on disabled list with bruised left calf

Chipper Jones’ left calf injury hasn’t gotten any better over the past couple of days, so the Braves have decided to place him on the disabled list. The team has yet to make a corresponding roster move, but they are likely to call up a catcher after David Ross left last night’s game against the Nationals with a groin injury.

Jones originally injured the calf when he was hit in the leg by a line drive off the bat of Rays’ center fielder B.J. Upton last Friday. While he hasn’t started a game since then, he did appear as a pinch-hitter during Wednesday’s game. This means he won’t be eligible to return until June 8, but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told Chris Vilvamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he’ll likely need all 15 days for the injury to heal and perhaps longer.

“They assured me it is going to be 15 days,” Gonzalez said. “It’s not going to be six days [and then he would be healthy enough to return]. It’s going to be the whole 15 days and maybe a little bit longer than that. You are talking 15 days plus six [more days already out of the lineup] without playing. It’s going to be a couple days of rehab also.”

Juan Francisco figures to see more playing time at third base during his absence, but the Braves also have the option of playing Martin Prado at third and Matt Diaz or Eric Hinske in left field.

Jones, 40, is hitting .307/.377/.485 with five homers, 24 RBI and an .862 OPS over 114 plate appearances in his 19th and final season in the majors. He began the year on the disabled list following knee surgery.