Jason Heyward had been on a role with the Braves before his jaw was broken by a pitch on Wednesday at Citi Field. About a month ago, Fredi Gonzalez switched fourth-year pro from the two-hole batting spot to leadoff, and everything just kind of picked up from there.
Heyward's been the guy showing flashes of superstar potential since he jumped on the scene in 2010, with a homer in his very first big league at bat. However, there's been troubling inconsistency ever since. Part of it has been contributed to bad luck injuries, just like the one he suffered on Wednesday. But everything still seems to be coming together for this Braves group, which is dominating the National League East Division with ease at this stage of the season.
It's going to be important to get Heyward back, because he's certainly provided a spark for the team, setting the tone as the leadoff man. Before the weekend ended, Heyward had put up six straight multi-hit games. That type of production certainly wasn't coming from anywhere else. The Braves organization is hoping he gets well soon.
