ATLANTA -- Mike Hampton is not giving up, no matter what his body says.
Hampton was only minutes away from completing a comeback from two elbow surgeries and making his first start in almost three years when he hurt himself in pregame warmups Thursday night, sending him back to the disabled list.
Hampton insists his latest injury, a strained left pectoral muscle, is only a small detour on his long road back.
``I feel deep in my heart that it's going to be a short-term thing,'' Hampton said.
Hampton acknowledged he was ``pretty down'' for about 30 minutes after coming so close to returning to the mound in a real game.
``But I'm still optimistic this is a short-term thing and I'll be able to continue to do what I love to do someday,'' he said. ``And hopefully it's not too far off.
``It hurts, but I'm not going to give up by any means.''
Hampton, trying to make his first start since Aug. 19, 2005, suffered the chest injury on his 24th warm-up pitch. He was seen grimacing on the bullpen mound.
``Nobody's more disappointed than I am,'' Hampton said.
``It's the toughest thing I've had to deal with. Having to step off the mound and say 'I just don't want to do it,' it's definitely a tough pill to swallow.''
Hampton said he tried to ``push through it a few times'' before giving up on the attempt to make the start after repeated questions from pitching coach Roger McDowell.
``I've never stepped off the mound and said 'Here's the ball,''' Hampton said.
Braves manager Bobby Cox said Hampton's first 23 warm-up pitches were ``excellent.''
``Then it started grabbing him,'' Cox said.
``It's unbelievable something else could pop up like that but it did. ... He felt it a little bit the other day tossing the ball and we didn't think much of it, to be honest with you.''
Added Cox, pointing to his chest, ``Most pitchers never get something in here but it was one of those strange deals and he couldn't go.''
Hampton will be placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 30. Left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes will be called up from Triple-A Richmond and will be available on Friday.
The Braves need help after seven pitchers were used in Thursday night's 4-3 loss in 10 innings.
Cox said he plans to activate left-hander Chuck James from the disabled list to take Hampton's spot in the rotation. The Braves will have to make another roster move to clear a spot for James.
Hampton has had other setbacks in his comeback. He pitched only one inning in Mexico this winter before straining his hamstring when he slipped on the mound. He then strained his groin in the second inning of his second spring training game.
Hampton rebounded from the setbacks to post a 2.16 ERA in five spring starts. He entered the season as the Braves' No. 4 starter, and his return to health has been mentioned often as a reason Atlanta is expected to contend for the NL East title.
``You look at our team and you assess our chances of winning and they're a lot different if Mike Hampton is part of the equation,'' Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said Thursday before Hampton's setback.
``We just want to see him walk off the field after he's all done feeling good and continue that way the rest of the year.''
Instead, Hampton didn't even make it to his first pitch.
Hampton began the night 53-48 with a 4.80 ERA in 134 starts since signing a $121 million, eight-year contract with Colorado before the 2001 season.
Jeff Bennett filled in for Hampton and gave up two runs and four hits in four innings.
The 35-year-old Hampton said this week that his comeback from such a long layoff is unusual.
``Somebody's gotta do it,'' he said. ``World records are broken all the time. People are doing all kinds of miraculous things.
``That's the sole motivation, to get back doing what I love to do.''
Saturday
May 3rd, 2025
7:16PM
