Braves' Jesse Chavez: Faces hitters again Friday

Chavez (shin) threw another round of live batting practice Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

That could be the final step before he is cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Chavez has been out since mid-June because of a microfracture in his left shin, but he looks poised to return to Atlanta's bullpen for the closing weeks of the regular season. He'd registered a 1.55 ERA and 36:9 K:BB in 29 innings prior to the lengthy IL stint.