ATLANTA -- Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez says he has considered asking center fielder B.J. Upton to work out his struggles in a minor league assignment.

Upton, signed to the biggest contract in franchise history at five years, $75.25 million, has a .146 batting average, 109 points below his seven-year career mark with Tampa Bay.

Gonzalez indicated that Upton has enough service time in the majors to refuse an assignment if he disagrees with the move.

"In my own mind, you think about those things, but really I haven't gotten to that point," Gonzalez said. "I think there's some logistics -- contractual things and that sort of stuff -- that they might not be able to do it that easy."