Lopez (shoulder) allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine without walking a batter over six innings in a no-decision versus the Royals on Saturday.
Lopez spent nearly three weeks on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, and it appears the time off served him well. He threw just 73 pitches (49 strikes) in an efficient outing. This was his 14th quality start of the season, an impressive run of success after he hadn't regularly pitched as a starter since 2021. Lopez ends the regular season with a 2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 146:42 K:BB across 134.2 innings over 25 starts.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Activated ahead of start
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Atlanta reinstated Lopez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Saturday versus the Royals.
After spending 17 days on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, Lopez will return in time to make one final start before the end of the regular season. Manager Brian Snitker said Friday that the right-hander won't be working under a pitch/inning restriction once he returns, and Lopez has a favorable matchup on paper against a Royals offense that carries just a .583 OPS since the start of September. John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Returning Saturday
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Lopez (shoulder) will start Saturday's game against the Royals, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.
Manager Brian Snitker said Friday that Lopez felt great after his latest bullpen session and is ready to return to Atlanta's rotation when needed, and the 30-year-old righty has now officially been penciled in to start Saturday. He hasn't pitched in a game since exiting his start Sept. 10 after one inning due to shoulder inflammation, but he's been one of the most effective pitchers in all of baseball in 2024 with a 2.03 ERA through 128.2 frames. He isn't expected to be under any sort of restrictions in his first start back.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another bullpen Thursday
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Lopez (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday and manager Brian Snitker said Friday that Lopez felt great and is ready to go when needed, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.
Atlanta's starters for Saturday and Sunday have yet to be determined, but Lopez appears to be firmly in the mix to take the mound on either day, or perhaps during Monday's doubleheader against the Mets. Per McAuley, Snitker also mentioned that Lopez wouldn't be under any major pitch count limitations if he were to start. Atlanta is one of three teams competing for the final two National League wild-card slots.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Deems self ready to return
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Lopez (shoulder) said he threw a bullpen session Tuesday at about 80 percent intensity, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Though he has yet to be turned fully loose for a bullpen session and has yet to resume facing hitters, Lopez said Wednesday that he feels ready to return from the 15-day injured list. It's not clear if Atlanta agrees with Lopez's assessment, however, so the right-hander should be considered far from a lock to be activated for this weekend's three-game series with the Royals. If Lopez does return before the end of the regular season, he would almost certainly be deployed in relief, given that he has yet to ramp back up to a starter-level pitch count.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws bullpen session
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Lopez (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and could potentially return before the end of the regular season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez is eligible for activation from the 15-day injured list Thursday as he works his way back from right shoulder inflammation. A return as a reliever would seem likelier, although Atlanta doesn't appear to have ruled out bringing him back as a starter on what would surely be a limited pitch count. Where the club sits in the wild-card standings later this week could be a factor in its decision on Lopez.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Resumes throwing
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Lopez (shoulder) began playing catch Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Friday marks the first time Lopez has done any sort of throwing since landing on the injured list Sept. 11 with right shoulder inflammation. He remains without a timeline for his return, though one may emerge once he's cleared to throw off a mound.
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Shut down with shoulder swelling
Rotowire
Atlanta placed Lopez on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation.
After exiting his start Tuesday against the Nationals with what had been described as shoulder tightness, Lopez described himself as day-to-day. Initial tests came back clean, per Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The right-hander had been scheduled to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, and while Atlanta hasn't disclosed the results of his imaging, Lopez will be shelved until at least the final week of the regular season while he waits for the swelling in his shoulder to subside. While the injury makes Lopez a drop candidate in most redraft formats, Atlanta will hope that he makes a swift enough recovery to put himself in consideration for a spot on the postseason pitching staff, should the club clinch a playoff spot.
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Further testing on shoulder
Rotowire
Lopez will undergo further testing on his right shoulder Wednesday after an initial exam Tuesday came back favorably, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lopez lasted just one inning in Tuesday's start against the Nationals before exiting with right shoulder tightness. It's the second arm-related injury he's had in the second half, as Lopez previously missed three weeks of action with right forearm inflammation. On a possibly-related note, Lopez's 132.2 innings this season between the majors and one minor-league rehab start are nearly 70 more than he threw in either of the previous two campaigns. He'll likely miss at least one start, at minimum, but more will be known once the exam results are in.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Exits early Tuesday
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Lopez (undisclosed) exited Tuesday's start against the Nationals after one inning, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lopez pitched a scoreless first inning before meeting with manager Brian Snitker, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and a trainer. Lopez's velocity was down a couple notches in the frame and he was ultimately removed from the contest. It's unclear what the right-hander is dealing with, but more information on his status will likely be provided in the near future. In the meantime, Jesse Chavez replaced him on the mound against Washington.
Lopez was removed from Tuesday's game against the Nationals due to right shoulder tightness.
Lopez only managed to last one inning in Tuesday's contest, during which he allowed one hit and struck out one batter. His velocity was also noticeably down, and it now appears his shoulder may have had something to do with that. There's no telling at the moment if he'll require a trip to the injured list, though Atlanta may wait a few days to see how he recovers before making a decision.
