The Braves announced that right-hander Reynaldo López was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to March 29, due to right shoulder inflammation. Fellow righty Bryce Elder has been recalled as the corresponding move. Per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Elder will take Wednesday’s start in place of López.
There hasn’t yet been any word from the team on exactly how serious they expect this to be, but it’s concerning on a few fronts. First of all, López also spent time on the IL last year due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Atlanta signed López ahead of 2024 and moved him back to the rotation after many years working in relief. On a rate basis, the results couldn’t have gone much better, as he had a 1.99 earned run average on the year.
But he went on the IL a couple of times, once due to a forearm issue and then a second time due to shoulder inflammation. His tally of 135 2/3 innings was his largest in years but still shy of a full starter’s workload. Now after just one start in the 2025 season, he’s back on the IL with more shoulder trouble.
There was an argument for Atlanta adding to their rotation this winter but they opted not to, perhaps due to financial constraints. Regardless of the reasoning, they opened the season with a strong front three of Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and López. Spencer Strider would eventually rejoin them but was slated for a season-opening IL stint as he’s still recovering from last year’s UCL surgery.
Two spots were available behind the Sale/López/Schwellenbach trio. Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson seemed like the top candidates for those jobs but AJ Smith-Shawver surged by Anderson during the spring, with Anderson flipped to the Angels last week. With López now out of the picture, they are down to Sale and Schwellenbach at the front, with Smith-Shawver, Holmes and Elder filling in behind them.
Perhaps it won’t be a long-term issue. Strider has been building up on a rehab assignment and could be back in the majors shortly. It’s also possible that this injury is fairly minor for López and he’ll be back soon as well.
Regardless, it’s another gut punch for the Atlanta fans, who are already having about the worst opening week possible. The club got swept by the Padres and are currently in the basement of the NL East with a record of 0-4. As if that weren’t enough, it was revealed today that top offseason acquisition Jurickson Profar has received an 80-game PED suspension. That will put him out of commission for a while and make him ineligible to appear in this year’s playoffs, if Atlanta qualifies.
Elder comes up to take López’s rotation spot for the time being, though he may only take the ball once or twice before Strider is activated. Elder turned in a 3.81 ERA over 31 starts a couple seasons ago. His production nosedived last year, as he allowed 6.52 earned runs per nine over 49 2/3 innings. Elder gets a lot of ground-balls, but he doesn’t have overpowering stuff and gave up a lot of hard contact last season. The Texas product was rocked in his only start with Triple-A Gwinnett this year. He gave up five runs on three hits and uncharacteristic four walks across 2 2/3 innings.
What a start to the season.
The hits just keep coming!
Bucket- The wrong type of hits…..
I’m a brewers fan I feel the same pain
It’s the only hits this team is getting sadly
Now I’m just waiting to hear Albies out with a fractured wrist or something geez…it sure looked like he got hurt on that Tatis tag.
Yes it did. The ESPN crew was too busy yukking it up to notice it. Never said anything about it afterward either. Hopefully he’s ok. Maybe the Braves PR department is too disgusted after the Profar and Lopez news to mention it today too…………….
I actually thought the same thing to about the Espn crew lol…the announcers for Espn get worse and worse especially for Baseball games
Just in: Ozzie is in the lineup tonight against
the Dodgers, batting 5th and Harris is in leadoff taking Profar’s place in batting order!
Amen, brother
@braveshomer: I don’t think they care about their baseball coverage anymore. They’re giving it up after the 2025 season.
They did mention that he appeared to get spiked
Been wondering about Albies myself!
Looked like he hurt his knee (Spiked!) or
his hand or wrist area, but haven’t heard anything on Ozzie from the Braves.
And now we get swept by the Dodgers
I guess that you do not respect your Elder.
At least it’s just a short IL stint, but it is pouring for the Braves today. That sucks, I like seeing Reynaldo do well.
Let’s talk about Profar…
Let’s talk about you and me
Let’s talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
isnt this what happened to senga last year?
Reylo was a fave on the South side. Hope he’s well. Maybe misses his buddy Gio
It comes in threes. Who else we got?
Elder is taking his place.
NOOOOOOO
I had two root canals and an extraction the other day. It was kinda like watching Elder pitch.
It’s almost like many of us were banging the table for AA to do something in the offseason to bring in more talent and depth. More talent left than was brought back in plus several question marks and glaring holes…Now here we are smh
Elder is the 3rd or the THREE!
is 1-6 being optimistic right now?
We hope you go 3-4, let’s go ATL!
They always do terrible out west. I don’t think you’re gonna get help from them. Haha.
No, they don’t. They don’t historically play well at Dodger Stadium, but they’re fine everywhere else on the west coast.
The Braves deserve all of this for being cheap this offseason.
That hurts Lou. Lol
It does. They knew they had injury concerns in the rotation and did nothing. All to save a few bucks.
Who should have they overpaid for?
Braves must have forgot that in order to win you need hits on the field, not off the field.
The better wrap Riley and Harris in bubble wrap..
Better bubble wrap Sale and Schwellenbach and hope Strider doesn’t get broke during shipping!
Hope the Braves lose 95 games.
I hope they win 95 games.
Hope they win and lose 95 games so we got some peace around here
@Brian: Mutts troll or just an angry moron?
Philly Phanatic
Even the White Sox were smart enough to know that this guy doesn’t hold up as a starter. Thought the Braves were smart?
Shouldn’t really question the Sox when it comes to pitching. Know a thing or two about converting/rehabbing arms
Ruining them you mean? With the Doctors of Death and the Pitching Coach who knows nothing?
This is as bad as Profar news.!
Bryce Elder did not even pitch 3 innings
in his AAA Start, has a 16.88 ERA vs AAA Hitters!
This is 2024 all over again!
Can it get any worse? Of Course it can!
Can it get better? Let’s hope!
On the Bright side..
When Strider returns, I can deal with
A rotation of..
Sale, Strider, Schwellenbach, fill in blank until the Braves win Powerball!
The Atlanta Braves Page has reached its limit for today! Please hold any suspensions and/or injuries until further notice!
Also, I still believe Ian Anderson is/was a better option than Bryce Elder!
I bet steroids help that inflamation…Profar should stop being stingy
its been a rough day for atlanta
But it’s a nice day for a white wedding
Ok we hit rock bottom.
So glad we gave up on Ian Anderson for a nobody….
Ian walks everybody. He wouldn’t have made a difference whatsoever being in the rotation this year.
And Profar is a cheater… I am not surprised. If he had any honor he would void his contract with the Braves.
And the felon should resign from public office. Nope on both counts
Honor? What game are you watching ? baseball is about cheating. Period. That image of the American past time should be used to look inward and see what REALLY happens on the field. Golden God Judge? Watch him slide into 2nd with a runner heading to 1st next time. He doesn’t plane, he ANGLES so when he sticks his ARM straight UP, he creates a 6ft block…Think he doesn’t;t know how to slide, or maybe the arms is to slow himself down? Son, LOOK and REALLY LOOK at the game :) Steroids is RIFE in the MiLB…or this new guys are what…randomly deciding to use NOW when they make the callup? Look at the suspensions last year in the MLB. Look at the suspensions in the MiLB. Now REVIEW……REALLY REVIEW what the criteria is for a STEROID WAIVER (Yah, that exists in baseball..surprise).
WHY, OUT OF THE BLUE, did the Astros gut their team, a year after Baker left? WHY did Baker get hired to begin with? WHY did NO ASTRO complain to MLB ?
The Mets…IL abuse….
Let’s use that noggin.
Managers cheat HARD….but a manager can only cheat to a point WITHOUT team compliance. You think they are stuck because they can’t speak up, or be blackballed by the other teams? Ahhh…where is that honor you seem to think others have now ?
Don’t think like a child. Dream like a child, but think like a person who understands life far more than you’ve inferred so far.
Looks like someone needs a nappy nap
ALways have to mute the trolls, Depche mode for you.
Oh noes
Fire sale please
What the hell did Chris Sale do?
Sale is fire
Called this months ago. You could see the signs last year, but you can’t rely on a former reliever to stay healthy in back to back seasons as a TOR arm. Sale is next, sadly.
Aren’t you a bundle of joy sparkles
Why, because I have common sense and call it like I see it? I surely do wish that AA had that type of foresight.
Look like Lopey a Nopey
This is a wakeup call for the Braves that they messed up the rotation planning over the winter. Cooked!
braves back in post season form…from the looks of it, can braves front office finally admit it wasnt the hitting coaches fault? dude needs a formal apology on all counts
The wheels are starting to come off of the Braves machine because of their unwillingness to make substantial additions to the team.