Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Rejoining rotation next week
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Lopez (knee) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to make a start for Atlanta next week, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
If Lopez starts on five days' rest like he did in his last rehab outing with Triple-A Gwinnett, he would take the ball Wednesday at home against the Rays. The veteran right-hander has been on the shelf since Aug. 2 with left knee inflammation, but he shouldn't have any workload restrictions after tossing 93 pitches over five scoreless frames in his final rehab start Thursday.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Exceeds 90 pitches in rehab outing
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Lopez (knee) struck out six over five scoreless innings in a rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Gwinnett, scattering two hits and two walks.
Making the third start of his rehab assignment, Lopez performed effectively while spotting 53 of his 93 pitches for strikes. The 32-year-old has been on the shelf since Aug. 2 while nursing left knee inflammation, but he now appears ready to rejoin the big club after turning in a 2.57 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 14 innings during his rehab assignment. Since he's been building up as a starter at Triple-A, Lopez could end up unseating the struggling AJ Smith-Shawver in Atlanta's six-man rotation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another rehab start awaits
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Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Lopez (knee) is expected to make another rehab start this week before being activated from the 15-day injured list, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Lopez has covered nine innings between his first two rehab starts with Triple-A Gwinnett, striking out five batters while allowing four runs on 11 hits and one walk. Though the right-hander could be headed for the bullpen once he's activated from the IL, Atlanta is giving Lopez the chance to get stretched out as a starter in case he's needed to fill a spot in the big club's six-man rotation during September. Before landing on the IL on Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation, Lopez had started in each of his last six appearances for Atlanta and logged a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB across 28 innings.
Lopez (knee) struck out four and allowed three hits and one walk over four scoreless innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Lopez made his first rehab appearance since being placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation. The 32-year-old handled a healthy workload in his return to the mound, tossing 35 of his 50 total pitches for strikes. Though it's unclear whether Atlanta intends to clear a spot in the rotation for Lopez upon his return, the club will at least give him the chance to build up as a starter during his rehab assignment. He'll likely make at least one more appearance in the minors prior to being activated.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Cleared for rehab games
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Lopez (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez is working his way back from left knee inflammation, which has kept him out for all of August. The veteran right-hander's last six appearances for Atlanta were as a starting pitcher, but he could be used as a reliever upon his return. If that happens, it might shorten his rehab assignment.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws off mound, could return as reliever
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Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said that Lopez (knee) completed a bullpen session Tuesday, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
Shortly after Lopez landed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation, Weiss indicated that Lopez was expected to return when first eligible Friday. The 32-year-old righty looks like he'll need at least a little extra time beyond that before being activated, and he may also be headed for a role change upon his return. Though Weiss noted Tuesday that he still views Lopez as a starter, the skipper noted that Lopez could be an option out of the bullpen, depending on the club's needs. Atlanta has gotten excellent results from trade-deadline pickup Tyler Mahle in his first two starts, and Weiss may prefer to keep Mahle in the rotation ahead of Lopez, who had started in his last six appearances prior to landing on the shelf and posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 28 innings over that span.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Minimum IL stint expected
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Lopez underwent an MRI on Sunday that showed no structural damage to his left knee, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the day due to knee inflammation, and more thorough testing hasn't turned up anything beyond that. Manager Walt Weiss noted that he's hopeful Lopez will be able to return from the IL when first eligible Aug. 14.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Shifts to IL
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Atlanta placed Lopez (knee) on the 15-day injured list Sunday.
Atlanta is labeling Lopez's injury as left knee inflammation, though Mark Bowman of MLB.com relays that the club is still awaiting the results of the right-hander's MRI before providing a timeline for his return. Right-hander JR Ritchie was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move and will step in as Atlanta's new fifth starter beginning with Sunday's game against the Nationals. Since moving back into the rotation in late June after a two-month stint in the bullpen, Lopez went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB in 28 innings over six starts.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Likely to go on IL
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Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Saturday that Lopez (knee) will likely go on the 15-day injured list, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the Nationals due to left knee inflammation. He'll undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the knee injury, but Atlanta is already anticipating Lopez to be down for at least the next two weeks. JR Ritchie is expected to be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to start in Sunday's series finale and could make a few turns through the rotation while Lopez is shelved.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Scratched with knee inflammation
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Atlanta scratched Lopez from his scheduled start Saturday against the Nationals due to left knee inflammation.
The severity of Lopez's injury is unclear, but it's enough of an issue to prevent him from taking the mound Saturday. Martin Perez was originally due to start Sunday's series finale but will instead move up a day and start in Lopez's place.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Allows two homers in loss
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Lopez (4-3) took the loss against the Padres on Tuesday, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Lopez allowed runs in three separate innings, including solo homers in the fourth and fifth. The 32-year-old allowed one earned run in each of his first three starts upon returning to the rotation June 26 but has now surrendered nine earned runs over two straight losses. He'll take a 3.95 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 60:28 K:BB across 66 innings this season into a road matchup with the Orioles this weekend.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Falls behind early
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Lopez (4-2) allowed four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three over five innings to take the loss versus St. Louis on Saturday.
Lopez fell behind early after giving up a three-run home run to Lars Nootbaar in the first inning. Atlanta's offense never mounted much of a threat, leaving Lopez to take his first loss since April 21, which was the start that sent him to the bullpen for two months. He's allowed seven runs over 18 innings with a 15:4 K:BB over four starts since rejoining the rotation. Overall, Lopez has a 3.50 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 54:25 K:BB across 61.2 innings through 22 appearances (nine starts) this season.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Earns win vs. Cardinals
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Lopez (4-1) earned the win Wednesday over St. Louis, allowing a run on two hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out six.
Making a second straight start, Lopez would give up a run in the first inning before settling in and holding the Cardinals without a hit over his final four frames. After a rough start to the year, Lopez has turned things around of late, posting a 2.70 ERA over his last 11 appearances (23.1 innings). Lopez looks to have earned another chance in Atlanta's rotation going forward -- he's currently slated to face the Mets at home in his next outing.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Making another start Wednesday
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Lopez will start Wednesday's game against the Cardinals in Atlanta.
Lopez will be making his second straight appearance as a starter, though Mark Bowman of MLB.com previously reported that Atlanta could once again have Hurston Waldrep piggyback the veteran right-hander. In his last appearance Friday in San Francisco, Lopez threw three innings of one-run ball before Waldrep followed with two scoreless frames in relief. Lopez tossed 57 pitches in that outing, but even if he gets piggybacked agin, he could still push up his pitch count a bit more Wednesday.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Goes three innings in start
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Lopez allowed one run on four hits and struck out one without walking a batter over three innings in a no-decision versus San Francisco on Friday.
Lopez threw 35 of 57 pitches for strikes. He's not fully stretched out after spending time in the bullpen for the last two months. He now has a 3.47 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 40:21 K:BB through 46.2 innings over 19 games (six starts) this season. Hurston Waldrep pitched two scoreless innings in relief during Friday's game, but he also walked four batters. The last spot in Atlanta's rotation figures to be in flux at least through the All-Star break. Lopez could ultimately stretch out more, but it wouldn't be surprising if some sort of piggyback arrangement emerges since Waldrep also isn't fully stretched out after returning from elbow surgery he underwent in February. This spot in the rotation comes up again at home versus St. Louis next week.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Moving back into rotation
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Lopez will start Friday's game against the Giants, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez began the season in Atlanta's rotation but was moved to the bullpen in April after posting a 3.74 ERA and 1.43 WHIP alongside a 20:11 K:BB over 21.2 innings across five starts. He'll now get another chance to work as a starter following JR Ritchie's demotion to Triple-A Gwinnett, though Lopez's first opportunity will come against a Giants offense that's posted a .799 OPS since the beginning of June. The 32-year-old threw just 58 pitches across three innings during his most recent appearance Sunday, and he said Wednesday that he'll likely have a similar workload during his upcoming start, per Bowman.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Nabs win in relief
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Lopez (2-1) picked up the win Wednesday over the Tigers, striking out two batters in two perfect innings of relief.
The right-hander breezed through the eighth and ninth innings on just 17 pitches (12 strikes) and got rewarded when Matt Olson launched a walk-off homer. It was Lopez's first relief appearance since losing his spot in the rotation, but he wasn't showing increased velocity in his new role -- he topped out at 93.6 mph with his fastball Wednesday -- and he figures to be in the bullpen for a while. With Spencer Strider (oblique) set to come off the IL this weekend and rookie JR Ritchie making a good impression since his promotion, there's simply no room for Lopez in Atlanta's rotation right now.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Bumped to bullpen
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Lopez will be utilized as a reliever going forward while working on some mechanical issues, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander's 3.74 ERA through five starts this year looks solid, but his 1.43 WHIP and 20:11 K:BB tell a different story. Atlanta will soon be getting back Spencer Strider (oblique) from the injured list, while rookie JR Ritchie will also get a longer look in the rotation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Fans six in no-decision
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Lopez did not factor into Tuesday's decision against the Marlins, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out six across five innings.
Lopez was back in the rotation for Atlanta after serving his five-game suspension. He got off to a rough start by allowing four runs through the first two innings, but he settled in to keep the Marlins off the board for the rest of his outing. Lopez generated only five whiffs on 96 pitches (53 strikes) but struck out five of the last 10 batters he faced. Through four starts, Lopez has a 2.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB over 20.2 innings. His next start is tentatively slated for this weekend on the road against the Phillies.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Back in rotation Tuesday
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Lopez will start Tuesday's game against the Marlins at Truist Park after completing his five-game suspension.
During his most recent start April 7, Lopez was ejected midway through the fifth inning for throwing at Jorge Soler and exchanging punches with the Angels designated hitter. Lopez was handed a seven-game suspension a day later, but he quickly reached a settlement with Major League Baseball on a five-game ban, which he began serving immediately. Due to an off day last Thursday, Atlanta was able to get by temporarily with four starters, so Lopez didn't end up missing a turn through the rotation.
