Reynaldo Lopez is set to return to the Atlanta Braves’ rotation Wednesday after spending nearly six weeks on the 15-day injured list.
Manager Walt Weiss confirmed that the right-hander will start against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking his first appearance since July 26, when left knee inflammation sidelined him.
Lopez has put together a solid comeback season after injuries limited him to just one outing in 2025. He owns a 3.64 ERA across 71 2/3 innings this year and has done a good job limiting hard contact, although his 21.6% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate are below league-average marks.
Atlanta initially used him as a starter before shifting him to the bullpen in late April following a few rough performances.
Lopez responded with a 3.27 ERA over 22 relief innings before returning to the rotation June 26, where he posted a 3.86 ERA across six starts and 28 innings prior to his injury.
His return comes at an important point for Atlanta, which is facing a demanding stretch of 22 games over 23 days.
With virtually no scheduled rest until September 17, the Braves plan to use Lopez as part of a six-man rotation alongside Chris Sale, Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes, Martin Perez and AJ Smith-Shawver. The setup should help manage workloads as the postseason approaches.
Bryce Elder will temporarily move out of the rotation and into the bullpen while dealing with a minor knee issue. He has not pitched since August 31, but the Braves do not appear concerned enough to place him on the injured list.
Weiss said the team wants to give Elder some additional rest and eventually get him back to the level he showed earlier in the season when he was among Atlanta’s most effective starters.
Despite dealing with several rotation injuries throughout the year, Atlanta’s starting pitching has remained one of its strengths, with the staff carrying a collective 3.72 ERA, sixth-best in MLB.
Chris Sale has continued to pitch at a Cy Young-caliber level, while Tyler Mahle has posted a remarkable 1.24 ERA since joining the Braves at the trade deadline.
With strong depth throughout the rotation, Atlanta enters the final stretch of the season in a favorable position, maintaining a four-game NL East lead even after Monday’s loss to Philadelphia while also competing for a first-round playoff bye.
