Michael Soroka and Collin McHugh officially go on the injured list

Starter Darius Vines and reliever Ben Heller replace Soroka and McHugh on the active roster

The Atlanta Braves have officially placed starter Michael Soroka (right forearm inflammation) and reliever Collin McHugh (right shoulder inflammation) on the injured list.

The #Braves today recalled RHP Darius Vines and RHP Ben Heller to Atlanta, and placed RHP Michael Soroka (right forearm inflammation) and RHP Collin McHugh (right shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day injured list.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 6, 2023

The corresponding moves were to recall starter Darius Vines and reliever Ben Heller from AAA Gwinnett.

We wrote extensively about Soroka's injury and the unfortunate timing of it earlier this morning, so check that out for more details about Soroka's scenario.   

McHugh's injury, coming so close to the postseason, casts real doubt about his availability for October. In the second year of a two year, $10M contract, McHugh's making $5M this year and has a $6M club option for 2024, his age 37 season, with a $1M buyout. He hasn't been able to repeat the dominant performance of 2022, where he was 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP in 69.1 innings. His win-loss record is better in 2023, actually, going 4-1, but everything else has regressed - 4.30 ERA, 1.568 WHIP, and more walks (22) in fewer innings (58.2) than last year's 14 free passes. 

It was already going to be an uphill climb for McHugh to keep a spot in the bullpen given the emergence of Michael Tonkin as a trusted arm as well as the recent return to health of Dylan Lee. Nick Anderson, who is currently rehabbing in the minors, was another threat to McHugh's roster status for the postseason and it's possible that not only is his season likely over, but his time in Atlanta might be, as well. 

Vines, 25, had an exceptional MLB debut in Colorado last week, going six innings in Coors Field with four hits and two runs, striking out five and walking only one. He'll get another chance to show what he can do with the subtraction of Soroka from the active roster, and lines up to start at home this weekend against Pittsburgh. 

Heller, 32, has a 4.41 ERA in seventeen appearances for Atlanta this season, striking out 14 in his 16.1 innings. He's struggled with command, though, walking ten, and had fallen out of favor in the pen and was largely replaced with the return of Dylan Lee. He The call-up is another, and perhaps a final, chance to show that he deserves a postseason roster spot down the stretch. 

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