Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Shut down with shoulder swelling
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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.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Further testing on shoulder
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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.
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.
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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.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Fans season-high 11 batters in loss
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Lopez (8-5) took the loss against the Rockies on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out 11.
Lopez struck out three of the first five batters he faced before giving up a solo homer to Michael Toglia in the second inning. The right-hander would then cruise through the next three frames until he was victimized by the long ball again in the sixth, this time off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar. Lopez would still make it through six innings to log his third consecutive quality start while also posting a season-high 11 strikeouts on the night, though he was ultimately tagged with his first loss since July 22. He's now recorded double-digit strikeouts in two of his last four outings and carries a robust 34:5 K:BB since being activated from the injured list a few weeks back.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Defeats Phillies
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Lopez (8-4) allowed a run on four hits and a walk over six innings Friday, striking out six and earning a win over Philadelphia.
The only damage against Lopez was Bryson Stott's solo shot in the fourth inning. In three starts since returning from injury, Lopez has given up three runs over 17 frames. He forced 13 whiffs Friday, including seven with the slider, and he earned his first win since July 7. He's been outstanding all year, registering a 2.00 ERA through 121.2 frames. Lopez is currently lined up for a home matchup against the Rockies next week.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another strong start
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Lopez didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Washington, allowing one run on three hits and three walks across six innings. He struck out seven.
Lopez hasn't skipped a beat since a stint on the injured list with forearm tightness threw a wrench in his dominant 2024 campaign. In two starts (11 innings) since being activated, Lopez has allowed two runs with 17 strikeouts. The 30-year-old is approaching a sub-2.00 ERA, with Sunday's outing moving his ERA from 2.05 to 2.02 -- which would lead MLB starters if he qualified. Lopez is tentatively scheduled to face the Phillies in Philadelphia next.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Punches out 10 in return
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Lopez allowed one run on five hits and one walk over five innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Phillies. He struck out 10.
Making his first start since July 28, Lopez looked sharp against a stout Phillies lineup, logging a season-high 10 strikeouts while allowing a lone run on a J.T. Realmuto base hit in the fourth inning. Atlanta didn't seem to have any limitations on Lopez in his return -- he threw 90 pitches over five frames before departing with the game tied 1-1. Overall, the 30-year-old Lopez is 7-4 with a sparkling 2.05 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 112:38 K:BB across 20 starts (109.2 innings) this season. He's currently lined up for a home matchup this weekend with the Nationals in his next outing.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Activated ahead of Tuesday's start
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Atlanta activated Lopez (forearm) from the 15-day injured list Monday.
Lopez will rejoin the rotation Tuesday with a start against the Phillies after missing the past three weeks with right forearm inflammation. He threw 71 pitches and covered four innings in one rehab outing, so Lopez could be slightly limited from a workload perspective Tuesday.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Confirmed to start Tuesday
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Lopez (forearm) will start Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez has been sidelined since July 28 but recently reached 71 pitches in a rehab outing. He shouldn't have significant limitations as a result, though he will face a tough Phillies lineup, so he may struggle to work efficiently.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Could return Tuesday
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Atlanta hasn't officially announced a starter for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, but manager Brian Snitker previously indicated the Lopez (forearm) was expected to be re-inserted into the rotation early this week, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Max Fried and Spencer Schwellenbach are penciled in to pitch Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, potentially leaving Tuesday open for Lopez to make his return from the injured list. The right-hander threw 71 pitches over four innings during his rehab start last Tuesday with Triple-A Gwinnett, so he shouldn't have significant workload limitations in his return to Atlanta's rotation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws 71 pitches in rehab start
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Lopez (forearm) allowed three runs while striking out four over four innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Lopez threw 71 pitches in the outing and averaged 94.5 mph with his four-seamer, down a tick from his season average. It should be the only rehab start Lopez needs, with the righty likely to return to the Atlanta rotation either Sunday on the road against the Angels or Tuesday at home versus the Phillies. Lopez has been out since late July with right forearm inflammation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Making rehab start Tuesday
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Lopez (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Lopez's upcoming start with Gwinnett may be the only one he requires before returning from the 15-day injured list, potentially setting him up to rejoin Atlanta's rotation either Sunday on the road against the Angels or back at home next Monday versus the Phillies. The right-hander hadn't made a start since July 28 because of right forearm inflammation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Goes on IL with forearm swelling
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Atlanta placed Lopez on the 15-day injured list Monday with right forearm inflammation.
Atlanta had been hoping that Lopez would miss just one turn through the rotation after an MRI revealed no structural damage to his forearm, but the right-hander wasn't progressing as quickly as expected, as he hadn't thrown off a mound since exiting his last start July 28. The club will now give Lopez some extra time to heal up, and since his placement on the IL is backdated to this past Friday, he'll be eligible for activation as soon as Aug. 17. Atlanta called up Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move, and he'll step into Lopez's spot in the rotation and start Tuesday's game against the Brewers.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Skipping start, still day-to-day
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Lopez (forearm) won't start Saturday versus the Marlins but is still considered day-to-day, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.
Lopez had been lined up for Saturday after he exited his outing last weekend versus the Mets due to right forearm tightness. He was cleared of any structural damage, and while Atlanta maintains hope that Lopez can avoid the 15-day injured list, it's uncertain when he might be able to take the ball again.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: MRI comes back negative
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Lopez is considered day-to-day after an MRI on his right forearm Sunday came back negative, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lopez exited Sunday's start versus the Mets with right forearm tightness, but Atlanta is hopeful that it won't need to place him on the 15-day injured list. Additionally, the club hasn't even ruled out the right-hander making his next scheduled start, which would fall this weekend against the Marlins. It's some much-needed good news for a team that's dealt with more than its share of bad news lately.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Exits with forearm tightness
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Lopez was removed from Sunday's start against the Mets as a precaution due to right forearm tightness.
Lopez threw 57 pitches and struck out two batters over three scoreless innings before being lifted from Sunday's contest due to the injury. The right-hander should be considered day-to-day for now, and his availability for the next turn through the rotation is up in the air, as he's scheduled to undergo an MRI, per Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Allows four runs in loss
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Lopez (7-4) took the loss against the Reds on Monday, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six innings.
Lopez allowed more than three earned runs for the first time all season in his second consecutive loss. He generated 13 swinging strikes on 85 pitches but also yielded nine hard-hit balls and saw his ERA rise above 2.00 for the first time this year. The 30-year-old still leads all starting pitchers with a 2.12 ERA to go along with a 1.19 WHIP and 100:36 K:BB across 101.2 innings. He will try to rebound in a road matchup with the Mets this weekend.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Falls to Friars
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Lopez (7-3) took the loss Saturday, giving up three runs on 11 hits over six innings as Atlanta was downed 4-0 by the Padres. He struck out two without walking a batter.
The right-hander didn't give up a lot of hard contact, as nine of the 11 hits were singles and the other two were well-placed doubles, but it was still a season high in knocks allowed for Lopez. It's his first loss since May 25, snapping a seven-start stretch in which he'd gone 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 46:16 K:BB through 38.1 innings. Fatigue could be creeping in for the converted reliever, as his 95.2 innings on the year are already his highest total since 2019, but he may not get much of a rest over the break after earning an All-Star Game berth for the first time in his career.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Picks up seventh win
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Lopez (7-2) earned the win Sunday, allowing no runs on two hits and three walks over six innings against the Phillies. He struck out six.
Lopez dominated once again with his sixth start of the season with five or more innings and zero runs allowed, tying him with Tarik Skubal for the most such appearances in MLB. Lopez lowered his ERA to an MLB-leading 1.71 in the process. It's tied for the fifth-lowest by an Atlanta player in his first 16 starts of a season since 1912 and the lowest since Tom Glavine in 2002. The 30-year-old is already up to 89.2 innings this season, which is his most since 2019, so his workload will be something to monitor in the second half of the season.
