Poll: How Many Games Will Ryan Braun Play This Season?

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

This is not how Ryan Braun wanted to start the season.

Braun missed Saturday’s game as his thumb injury, which forced a disabled list trip in 2013, has come back with a vengeance. Braun is experience numbness in his right thumb, and sounded very worried about it when he spoke to reporters Saturday.

“The analogy is like, if you touch a hot stove, no matter how badly you want to keep your hand there, the natural reaction will be to take your hand off of it,” Braun said via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “That’s kind of what happens every time I make contact when it gets bad. No matter what I want to do or try to do, I can’t keep two hands on the bat.”

Braun doesn’t think surgery is a viable option and isn’t even considering it at this point. However, if Braun can’t swing the bat, he’s not going to play. He is in the lineup on Sunday, which is definitely a good sign.

So that brings up the question of how much time Braun will miss in 2014.