VIDEO: Dansby Swanson Learns Painful Lesson After Taking Warmup Throw to Groin

As the future of the franchise, he must be protected at all costs, which means he probably shouldn’t be milling behind the pitcher’s mound between innings while paying no attention to what’s going on.

Swanson’s unfortunate placement put him in position to take an errant return throw from Tyler Flowers to the groin. His injury was significant enough to knock him out of the game.

“That’s unfortunate but you don’t stand behind anybody when they are playing catch,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It got him good, too. I think he will be all right.”

Painful lesson.