Brian McCann is not in Friday's lineup against the Mets. He's taking a seat against the left-hander Jon Niese. McCann received a cortisone shot in his shoulder last weekend which the Braves hope will allow him to finish strong, but he is at risk of losing regular playing time if his struggles continue. Those fighting for their playoff lives in fantasy leagues would do well to find an alternative at this point.

Brian McCann went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Rockies. The start was McCann's first since Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez revealed he may begin benching McCann down the stretch if he doesn't snap out of his prolonged funk. McCann is hitting .163 with zero extra-base hits since August 1. Despite his incredible track record, you can't afford to let McCann sink your lineup during the fantasy playoffs.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is optimistic that Brian McCann's hitting will improve over the final month, but he'll start playing David Ross more if it doesn't. McCann has dealt with discomfort in his right shoulder for much of the season that's been brought on by a cyst. He's required multiple cortisone shots, the most recent of which came Saturday. The catcher is batting just .228 with 18 home runs this season and hit only .181 without an extra-base hit in August.

Brian McCann (shoulder) is back in Wednesday's lineup against the Rockies. McCann sat out three games after receiving a cortisone shot in his shoulder on Saturday. The Braves are hopeful it will help him finish strong.

Brian McCann (shoulder) is not in Tuesday's lineup vs. the Rockies. McCann hasn't played since Saturday after receiving another cortisone shot in his ailing right shoulder. There's a chance he would have sat Tuesday anyway with the left-hander Drew Pomeranz on the hill. Look for him to return Wednesday.

Brian McCann (shoulder) is out of the Braves' starting lineup on Monday against the Rockies. McCann had another cortisone shot in his ailing right shoulder on Saturday and is still recovering from the injection. The Braves are hoping he'll be ready on Tuesday.

Brian McCann (shoulder) finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his return to the Braves' lineup Sunday. McCann has a cyst and a frayed labrum in his right shoulder, but he's hoping surgery can wait until the winter. The 28-year-old has a .723 OPS in 85 games this season, well off the pace of his .280/.353/.479 career slash line. Still, he remains a valuable fantasy commodity.

Brian McCann returned to action on Sunday August 19.

Brian McCann said he might have surgery over the offseason to fix a right shoulder issue that's plagued him throughout the 2012 season. "I've got a cyst that's sitting on a joint, and I've got a frayed labrum," McCann said. "So I mean, yeah, I've got things going on in there. But it's something that I'm managing, I'm going to play through, and at the end of the year see what I'm going to do [to fix it, if necessary]." McCann wasn't happy about sitting out a second straight game Saturday, but he seems likely to continue to require regular rest down the stretch. The 28-year-old is batting a career-low .229 with 18 homers and 57 RBI in 94 games this season.

Brian McCann in not in the Braves' lineup Saturday for the second straight game. McCann has been dealing with a recurring shoulder issue for months, but its not a major concern. David Ross is starting at catcher and hitting seventh.