ATLANTA -- Another day, another trip to the training room for Chipper Jones.
The Braves third baseman wasn't in the lineup for Friday night's 5-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers because of a strained right adductor muscle, the latest in a series of injuries that have plagued the slugger.
Jones apparently sustained the injury, which is in the groin area, during Tuesday's game against Boston. He attempted to play through it the following night but had to leave after the fifth inning.
The Braves were off Thursday, but the extra time did little to ease the pain.
"It was really bothering him," manager Bobby Cox said. "It was actually no better today at all. It's one of those deep groin pulls. It's going to be a problem."
Jones sounded more optimistic, saying he doesn't expect to be out beyond Saturday.
"I'm day to day," he said after Friday's game. "I could be in there tomorrow. I don't expect to be out past tomorrow."
Jones is hitting .323 with 12 homers and 27 RBI, but he's only been able to play 50 of 74 games. He went on the disabled list after injuring his wrists in a basepaths collision, and he's still bothered by soreness in his hands.
The Braves could sure use their most reliable hitter. They haven't scored in 28 innings, enduring three straight shutouts for the first time since 1988. They managed only two hits against the Tigers and didn't even get a runner into scoring position.
Jones hasn't played a full season since 2003. He's been on the DL four years in a row with a variety of ailments: a hamstring problem three years ago, an injured foot the following season, a strained oblique last year.
Jones isn't sure how he sustained the latest injury.
"It just started hurting," he said. "I ran down the line a few times and pushed it out of the box. It hurt, but it wasn't bad. Then the last game against Boston it was pretty bad. I didn't want to push it."
The Braves, who dropped 2½ games behind the New York Mets for the NL East lead, desperately need Jones in the middle of their lineup.
Andruw Jones dropped below .200 with another hitless night, Jeff Francoeur is mired in a bit of slump and Brian McCann has struggled since injuring his left ring finger.
"I certainly appreciate the effort of the guys who are on the field busting it," said John Smoltz, who took the latest loss. "We all could wish we were feeling better, but that's the way it goes."
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