BREAKING: Reliever Daysbel Hernández to the IL with right forearm inflammation

Taking his place in the bullpen is new trade acquisition Brad Hand, who officially reported today after arriving in Atlanta during the game last night

The Atlanta Braves announced that newly-promoted reliever Daysbel Hernández has been placed on the injured list with right forearm inflammation. 

The #Braves today reported LHP Brad Hand to Atlanta and placed RHP Daysbel Hernández on the 15-day injured list, backdated to August 1, with right forearm inflammation.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 2, 2023

Hernández, who made his MLB debut just under two weeks ago, has pitched in four games for Atlanta since being called up on July 23rd. He's officially 1-0 with a 7.36 ERA in 3.2 inning pitched, having given up two late runs in a blowout by the Boston Red Sox and one run in the 9th against Los Angeles on Monday. 

Prior to his callup, Hernández was virtually untouchable in the minors this year, allowing only nine hits and five earned runs in 22 innings across three different levels, good for a 2.05 ERA. 

The 5'10 righty was originally a 2017 International Free Agent out of Cuba, signing for $190,000. It's unknown how long he'd be out, but forearm inflammation can sometimes be related to the structure of the elbow and is occasionally a warning sign of damage to the UCL, necessitating Tommy John surgery. We'll update with more information when we have it. 

Replacing Hernández on the roster is newly acquired Brad Hand. Coming over from the Colorado Rockies, Hand is 3-1 with a 4.74 ERA in his 40 appearances this season, covering 35.2 innings. He's struck out 41 and walked 16 this season. He had an ERA in the mid-3s before two back-to-back blowups to open July - four runs in an inning against Detroit and two runs in an inning and a third against San Francisco - that raised his ERA by a run and a half.

He'll immediately slot into the middle part of the bullpen, giving Atlanta a lefty relief option that isn't AJ Minter for low and medium leverage situations. It's entirely possible the way this plays out is similar to Atlanta's acquisition of Richard Rodriguez from the Pirates in 2021 - he didn't play in the postseason, but the twenty-six innings he pitched over the final two months of the season saved the Braves' higher-leverage arms for the postseason, where "The Night Shift" was crucial towards the 2021 World Series championship.

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