Lopez signed a three-year, $30 million contract with Atlanta on Saturday.
Lopez was originally set to make $11 million in 2025 and 2026 with an $8 million club option for 2027. In an effort to minimize payroll, Atlanta will now pay him $8 million next season while his 2026 salary increases to $14 million, and he's now guaranteed to make $8 million in 2027 (compared to his $4 million option buyout). The 30-year-old posted a minuscule 1.99 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 135.2 innings this year.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Dominant in return
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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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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.
Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Deems self ready to return
Rotowire
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.
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.
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.
