Chipper Jones has been out since July 8 with a torn meniscus in his knee. Assuming the team's trainers and doctors give him clearance to play, the 39-year old third baseman plans to be in the lineup on Monday evening as the Braves welcome in the Pittsburgh Pirates to Turner Field to kick off a 4-game series.
The news of Jones returning to Atlanta came courtesy of a tweet from the AJC's David O'Brien:
Chipper Jones declares himself ready to return. "I'll be waiting for them when they get back."
Not only does this give Atlanta their Hall of Fame third baseman back -- which also allows Martin Prado to move back to left field -- but it also lets Frank Wren, Fredi Gonzalez and the rest of those affiliated with the franchise see a team that'll be as healthy as it's been since they broke camp from Spring Training. The Pirates are a solid team and seeing our team at near-full strength will likely play a big role in which player we target at Sunday, July 31's trade deadline.
Welcome back to Atlanta, No. 10. We missed you.