In a blow to their playoff hopes, the Atlanta Braves have placed All-Star pitcher Reynaldo López on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder.
López pitched just one inning in the Braves’ 12-0 victory over the Washington Nationals the night before, throwing 25 pitches—16 of which were strikes. His fastball speed, typically around 96 mph, had dropped to between 89-94 mph.
López has been a key player for Atlanta this season, holding an 8-5 record with a 2.03 ERA over 24 starts. After spending the previous three seasons as a reliever, the Braves moved him to the starting rotation following his three-year, $30 million contract signed last winter.
Despite the setback, Manager Brian Snitker reported that the MRI results showed no structural damage, and López’s condition is expected to improve with rest. “The MRI came back clean,” Snitker said. “He’s got inflammation. Hopefully, we can reduce it with some time off, and then assess his condition when he starts throwing again.”
This injury comes at a critical time, with less than three weeks left in the regular season. López won’t be available until the middle of the final week of the season. “We’ll have to wait for everything to settle down and then start him on a throwing program,” Snitker explained. “It’s not a structural issue.”
As the Braves enter the final stretch of the season, they were trailing the Mets by half a game for the NL’s last wild-card spot, with the Mets having gained ground after a 6-2 win over Toronto. Despite significant injuries to NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and ace pitcher Spencer Strider, along with other key players, Atlanta remains in the playoff race.
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