Atlanta Braves get Positive Injury Report on Starting Pitcher

The Atlanta Braves were due some good news on the injury front, and they may have gotten it on Monday.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez left Sunday's game with forearm tightness. / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves catch a major break from a health standpoint. All-star starter Reynaldo Lopez’s MRI has come back clean per a report from the AJC's Justin Toscano.

"Reynaldo López’s MRI was clean," wrote Toscano on X. "He’s day to day. The Braves haven’t even put him on the IL. Brian Snitker said he doesn’t believe the Braves would even shut him down."

So, it’s looking really good for Lopez to make his next scheduled start, or at least only miss a turn in the rotation without a prolonged absence.  

It took much longer than expected to get the news, but it arrived and everyone can exhale.

With all the injuries the Braves have had, even just over the last week, this is a major sigh of relief. They won’t have to make a hasty decisions ahead of the trade deadline or stress who is available in Triple-A at the right time to take the mound in his place. 

This doesn’t mean they won’t make a move at the deadline, they still might be looking for an arm after all. However, the addition would be to bolster the rotation instead of replacing a key arm. 

So they get good news on Lopez along with the recent news that Max Fried could also return soon - who is eligible to be activated on Friday. 

Barring an acquisition at the deadline, the rotation should look as follows when everyone is back and healthy:

• Max Fried
• Chris Sale
• Reynaldo Lopez 
• Charlie Morton
• Spencer Schwellenbach

Elder Potential Starter for Tuesday

Braves pitcher Bryce Elder is looking like the starter for Tuesday’s game in Milwaukee against the Brewers. 

Elder was reportedly with the club working in the outfield ahead of Monday night’s game. 

He had been scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday. However he was scratched leading to speculation that he would be returning to Atlanta to lend a hand to the injured rotation.