The Atlanta Braves are preparing to be without closer Robert Suarez until at least after the All-Star break, though early medical results have provided some relief.
Suarez was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday due to inflammation in his right forearm. Fortunately for Atlanta, an MRI revealed no structural damage, easing concerns about a potentially serious injury.
To take his place on the active roster, the Braves recalled right-hander Hurston Waldrep from Triple-A Gwinnett.
“The MRI was actually encouraging,” manager Walt Weiss said. “There were no ligament issues and no structural changes. It did show inflammation, so we’ll need to give him some time to recover.”
Suarez has been one of baseball’s most dominant relievers this season, posting a remarkable 0.56 ERA across 31 appearances.
While he becomes eligible to return on July 9, just days before the All-Star break begins, the Braves are taking a cautious approach with his recovery.
Weiss said the organization remains optimistic that Suarez will not be sidelined for an extended period but acknowledged that it is still too early to establish a firm timetable.
The veteran reliever had been dealing with forearm discomfort for several days and has not appeared in a game since June 19, when he threw 28 pitches over 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.
During Suarez’s absence, left-hander Dylan Lee is expected to take on the primary setup role, while Tyler Kinley, James Karinchak, and Didier Fuentes could also see increased responsibilities in high-leverage situations.
Meanwhile, Waldrep’s stay in the majors may depend on both his performance and that of Reynaldo López, who is expected to be limited to around 30 pitches in Friday night’s matchup against the San Francisco Giants.
Either pitcher could ultimately claim the rotation spot that became available after JR Ritchie was optioned earlier this week.
