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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Rejoining rotation next week
Rotowire
Lopez (knee) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to make a start for Atlanta next week, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
If Lopez starts on five days' rest like he did in his last rehab outing with Triple-A Gwinnett, he would take the ball Wednesday at home against the Rays. The veteran right-hander has been on the shelf since Aug. 2 with left knee inflammation, but he shouldn't have any workload restrictions after tossing 93 pitches over five scoreless frames in his final rehab start Thursday.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Exceeds 90 pitches in rehab outing
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Lopez (knee) struck out six over five scoreless innings in a rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Gwinnett, scattering two hits and two walks.
Making the third start of his rehab assignment, Lopez performed effectively while spotting 53 of his 93 pitches for strikes. The 32-year-old has been on the shelf since Aug. 2 while nursing left knee inflammation, but he now appears ready to rejoin the big club after turning in a 2.57 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 14 innings during his rehab assignment. Since he's been building up as a starter at Triple-A, Lopez could end up unseating the struggling AJ Smith-Shawver in Atlanta's six-man rotation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another rehab start awaits
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Lopez (knee) is expected to make another rehab start this week before being activated from the 15-day injured list, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Lopez has covered nine innings between his first two rehab starts with Triple-A Gwinnett, striking out five batters while allowing four runs on 11 hits and one walk. Though the right-hander could be headed for the bullpen once he's activated from the IL, Atlanta is giving Lopez the chance to get stretched out as a starter in case he's needed to fill a spot in the big club's six-man rotation during September. Before landing on the IL on Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation, Lopez had started in each of his last six appearances for Atlanta and logged a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB across 28 innings.
Lopez (knee) struck out four and allowed three hits and one walk over four scoreless innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Lopez made his first rehab appearance since being placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation. The 32-year-old handled a healthy workload in his return to the mound, tossing 35 of his 50 total pitches for strikes. Though it's unclear whether Atlanta intends to clear a spot in the rotation for Lopez upon his return, the club will at least give him the chance to build up as a starter during his rehab assignment. He'll likely make at least one more appearance in the minors prior to being activated.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Cleared for rehab games
Rotowire
Lopez (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez is working his way back from left knee inflammation, which has kept him out for all of August. The veteran right-hander's last six appearances for Atlanta were as a starting pitcher, but he could be used as a reliever upon his return. If that happens, it might shorten his rehab assignment.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws off mound, could return as reliever
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said that Lopez (knee) completed a bullpen session Tuesday, Jesus Cano of The Athletic reports.
Shortly after Lopez landed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 due to left knee inflammation, Weiss indicated that Lopez was expected to return when first eligible Friday. The 32-year-old righty looks like he'll need at least a little extra time beyond that before being activated, and he may also be headed for a role change upon his return. Though Weiss noted Tuesday that he still views Lopez as a starter, the skipper noted that Lopez could be an option out of the bullpen, depending on the club's needs. Atlanta has gotten excellent results from trade-deadline pickup Tyler Mahle in his first two starts, and Weiss may prefer to keep Mahle in the rotation ahead of Lopez, who had started in his last six appearances prior to landing on the shelf and posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 28 innings over that span.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Minimum IL stint expected
Rotowire
Lopez underwent an MRI on Sunday that showed no structural damage to his left knee, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the day due to knee inflammation, and more thorough testing hasn't turned up anything beyond that. Manager Walt Weiss noted that he's hopeful Lopez will be able to return from the IL when first eligible Aug. 14.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Likely to go on IL
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Saturday that Lopez (knee) will likely go on the 15-day injured list, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the Nationals due to left knee inflammation. He'll undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the knee injury, but Atlanta is already anticipating Lopez to be down for at least the next two weeks. JR Ritchie is expected to be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to start in Sunday's series finale and could make a few turns through the rotation while Lopez is shelved.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Scratched with knee inflammation
Rotowire
Atlanta scratched Lopez from his scheduled start Saturday against the Nationals due to left knee inflammation.
The severity of Lopez's injury is unclear, but it's enough of an issue to prevent him from taking the mound Saturday. Martin Perez was originally due to start Sunday's series finale but will instead move up a day and start in Lopez's place.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Shifts to IL
Rotowire
Atlanta placed Lopez (knee) on the 15-day injured list Sunday.
Atlanta is labeling Lopez's injury as left knee inflammation, though Mark Bowman of MLB.com relays that the club is still awaiting the results of the right-hander's MRI before providing a timeline for his return. Right-hander JR Ritchie was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move and will step in as Atlanta's new fifth starter beginning with Sunday's game against the Nationals. Since moving back into the rotation in late June after a two-month stint in the bullpen, Lopez went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB in 28 innings over six starts.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Sharp in no-decision
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Lopez didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Orioles, allowing five hits and a walk across 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out six.
It was a nice bounce-back outing from Lopez, who had given up nine runs across 9.1 innings in his previous two starts. Overall, the right-hander is 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 66:29 K:BB through 71.2 innings this season. Lopez will look to build on Sunday's outing his next time out, currently slated to come at home against the Nationals.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Allows two homers in loss
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Lopez (4-3) took the loss against the Padres on Tuesday, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Lopez allowed runs in three separate innings, including solo homers in the fourth and fifth. The 32-year-old allowed one earned run in each of his first three starts upon returning to the rotation June 26 but has now surrendered nine earned runs over two straight losses. He'll take a 3.95 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 60:28 K:BB across 66 innings this season into a road matchup with the Orioles this weekend.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Falls behind early
Rotowire
Lopez (4-2) allowed four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three over five innings to take the loss versus St. Louis on Saturday.
Lopez fell behind early after giving up a three-run home run to Lars Nootbaar in the first inning. Atlanta's offense never mounted much of a threat, leaving Lopez to take his first loss since April 21, which was the start that sent him to the bullpen for two months. He's allowed seven runs over 18 innings with a 15:4 K:BB over four starts since rejoining the rotation. Overall, Lopez has a 3.50 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 54:25 K:BB across 61.2 innings through 22 appearances (nine starts) this season.
Lopez did not factor into the decision Monday, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over five innings in a 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Mets. He struck out five.
With the exception of a Carson Benge solo homer in the second inning, Lopez was effective before departing after 80 pitches (52 strikes). In three starts since being moved back into the starting rotation, the right-hander has allowed three runs with a 12:3 K:BB across 13 innings. Overall, Lopez owns a 4-1 record with a 3.18 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 51:24 K:BB across 56.2 innings (21 appearances) and is lined up to make his next start Saturday against the Cardinals.
Lopez (4-1) earned the win Wednesday over St. Louis, allowing a run on two hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out six.
Making a second straight start, Lopez would give up a run in the first inning before settling in and holding the Cardinals without a hit over his final four frames. After a rough start to the year, Lopez has turned things around of late, posting a 2.70 ERA over his last 11 appearances (23.1 innings). Lopez looks to have earned another chance in Atlanta's rotation going forward -- he's currently slated to face the Mets at home in his next outing.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Making another start Wednesday
Rotowire
Lopez will start Wednesday's game against the Cardinals in Atlanta.
Lopez will be making his second straight appearance as a starter, though Mark Bowman of MLB.com previously reported that Atlanta could once again have Hurston Waldrep piggyback the veteran right-hander. In his last appearance Friday in San Francisco, Lopez threw three innings of one-run ball before Waldrep followed with two scoreless frames in relief. Lopez tossed 57 pitches in that outing, but even if he gets piggybacked agin, he could still push up his pitch count a bit more Wednesday.
