Braves.com
CINCINNATI -- While stressing that the move doesn't signal any long-term problems, manager Bobby Cox announced on Tuesday that the club has decided to place Chuck James on the 15-day disabled list. Originally, the Braves were planning to have the southpaw miss just one start, with the hope that it would give his tired left shoulder enough time to heal.

But as with many other things in baseball, plans can change on a daily basis. In regard to Edgar Renteria, this is a good thing. After watching Renteria successfully maneuver himself through the same figure-8 drills that had caused his right ankle discomfort on Friday, Cox gladly announced that he plans to have the veteran shortstop back in the lineup for Wednesday night's game against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

"He's come on fast, really, in the past few days," said Cox of Renteria, who has been out since suffering a high ankle sprain on Aug. 2.

It's not as though James' status changed much since Monday, when the Braves announced that they'd likely have him skip just one start. But realizing that it might be beneficial to provide him an extra week to rest his inflamed left rotator cuff, they opted to disable the 25-year-old, who will be eligible for activation on Sept. 1. By doing so they opened a roster spot for Tuesday's starting pitcher, Jo-Jo Reyes.

"It stinks to be going on the DL and all," said James, who is 1-2 with a 7.01 ERA in his past five starts. "But the rundown they gave me, just in terms of rehabbing, was that I'd have to play catch one day, then throw a side [session] one day, then play long-toss one day."

Renteria has become all too familiar with the frustrations caused by being sidelined and relegated to daily rehab.

"I'd prefer to play every day, rather than run the figure-8s," said Renteria, whose return means that Yunel Escobar will return to his platoon role at second base with Kelly Johnson.

Renteria admits that his right ankle and his back, which has bothered him for a few years, still aren't 100 percent. But still the Braves are confident that he'll be able to provide the same type of consistent production that he has throughout this season.

"He's a hitting machine," Cox said of Renteria, whose .336 batting average was aided by the fact that he hit .398 in the 20 games he played prior to going on the disabled list.

Entering Tuesday's game, the Braves had only lost a half-game in the National League East in Renteria's absence. But they also had gained a half-game in the Wild Card chase.

"If we'd have lost [more ground], I would have felt real bad," Renteria said. "But now I know that I can help the team out, and we'll go from there."

Sturtze released: Throughout Tanyon Sturtze's long rehab process, the Braves never exactly seemed too excited about the prospect of having him in their bullpen. And late Tuesday afternoon, they announced that they've given the right-handed reliever his unconditional release.

Sturtze, who was attempting to return from the major shoulder surgery he underwent in May of last year, surrendered at least one earned run in seven of the final 10 rehab appearances he made. His final appearance came with Triple-A Richmond on Sunday, when he issued two walks, allowed a hit and gave up an earned run in one inning.

The Braves must pay Sturtze's entire $750,000 salary, but because they never placed him on the 25-man roster, they saved the $350,000 bonus he would have earned.

Hudson's Cy Young credentials: With his victory over the Reds on Monday night, Tim Hudson won a ninth consecutive decision -- the longest streak in the Majors this season -- for the first time since 2000, and took over the National League lead in wins, with 15.

Among Major League pitchers who have completed at least 70 innings since June 20, Hudson has the most wins, with nine. His 2.57 ERA during that span ranks fourth among big league hurlers and second among NL hurlers, trailing only Arizona's Brandon Webb, who has thrown 42 consecutive scoreless innings.

Impressive Ring: When the Braves acquired Royce Ring from the Padres at the trade deadline, many players confirmed it wasn't a fluke that the left-handed reliever had such good numbers against left-handed hitters.

Ring has allowed a run in just one of the 10 appearances he's made for Richmond, and limited left-handed hitters to a .143 batting average. The 27-year-old will likely be with Atlanta when the rosters expand in September.

Coming up: The Braves will continue their four-game series against the Reds on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. They'll send Lance Cormier (0-3, 9.90) to the mound to face Bronson Arroyo (6-13, 4.58).