As if things couldn’t get any worse for the injury-riddled Atlanta Braves, Reynaldo Lopez left Sunday’s start with right forearm tightness. The Braves hope that the injury is minor, but forearm tightness can sometimes lead to something much worse.
This is an especially frustrating injury for the Braves not only because of how well Lopez has pitched this season, but because of all of the other injuries they’ve been dealing with. Forget the injuries to their position players (there are a lot). The Braves pitching staff has been decimated by injuries.
Spencer Strider is done for the season and has been since April. Max Fried is currently on the IL. Depth options such as Hurston Waldrep and Huascar Ynoa are on the shelf. Things are so bad to the point where Grant Holmes, a pitcher with ten MLB appearances and no starts under his belt, is starting Monday’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Whether Lopez’s injury is minor or not, this Braves team needs to add depth. Spencer Schwellenbach’s emergence might allow them to avoid making a deal for a high-end starter, but adding depth of some capacity is a must. They can look to a team like the Cincinnati Reds to make a deal happen.
