Lopez signed a three-year, $30 million contract with Atlanta on Saturday.
Lopez was originally set to make $11 million in 2025 and 2026 with an $8 million club option for 2027. In an effort to minimize payroll, Atlanta will now pay him $8 million next season while his 2026 salary increases to $14 million, and he's now guaranteed to make $8 million in 2027 (compared to his $4 million option buyout). The 30-year-old posted a minuscule 1.99 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 135.2 innings this year.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Dominant in return
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Lopez (shoulder) allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine without walking a batter over six innings in a no-decision versus the Royals on Saturday.
Lopez spent nearly three weeks on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, and it appears the time off served him well. He threw just 73 pitches (49 strikes) in an efficient outing. This was his 14th quality start of the season, an impressive run of success after he hadn't regularly pitched as a starter since 2021. Lopez ends the regular season with a 2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 146:42 K:BB across 134.2 innings over 25 starts.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Activated ahead of start
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Atlanta reinstated Lopez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Saturday versus the Royals.
After spending 17 days on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, Lopez will return in time to make one final start before the end of the regular season. Manager Brian Snitker said Friday that the right-hander won't be working under a pitch/inning restriction once he returns, and Lopez has a favorable matchup on paper against a Royals offense that carries just a .583 OPS since the start of September. John Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Returning Saturday
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Lopez (shoulder) will start Saturday's game against the Royals, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.
Manager Brian Snitker said Friday that Lopez felt great after his latest bullpen session and is ready to return to Atlanta's rotation when needed, and the 30-year-old righty has now officially been penciled in to start Saturday. He hasn't pitched in a game since exiting his start Sept. 10 after one inning due to shoulder inflammation, but he's been one of the most effective pitchers in all of baseball in 2024 with a 2.03 ERA through 128.2 frames. He isn't expected to be under any sort of restrictions in his first start back.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another bullpen Thursday
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Lopez (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday and manager Brian Snitker said Friday that Lopez felt great and is ready to go when needed, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.
Atlanta's starters for Saturday and Sunday have yet to be determined, but Lopez appears to be firmly in the mix to take the mound on either day, or perhaps during Monday's doubleheader against the Mets. Per McAuley, Snitker also mentioned that Lopez wouldn't be under any major pitch count limitations if he were to start. Atlanta is one of three teams competing for the final two National League wild-card slots.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Deems self ready to return
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Lopez (shoulder) said he threw a bullpen session Tuesday at about 80 percent intensity, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Though he has yet to be turned fully loose for a bullpen session and has yet to resume facing hitters, Lopez said Wednesday that he feels ready to return from the 15-day injured list. It's not clear if Atlanta agrees with Lopez's assessment, however, so the right-hander should be considered far from a lock to be activated for this weekend's three-game series with the Royals. If Lopez does return before the end of the regular season, he would almost certainly be deployed in relief, given that he has yet to ramp back up to a starter-level pitch count.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws bullpen session
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Lopez (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and could potentially return before the end of the regular season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Lopez is eligible for activation from the 15-day injured list Thursday as he works his way back from right shoulder inflammation. A return as a reliever would seem likelier, although Atlanta doesn't appear to have ruled out bringing him back as a starter on what would surely be a limited pitch count. Where the club sits in the wild-card standings later this week could be a factor in its decision on Lopez.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Resumes throwing
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Lopez (shoulder) began playing catch Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Friday marks the first time Lopez has done any sort of throwing since landing on the injured list Sept. 11 with right shoulder inflammation. He remains without a timeline for his return, though one may emerge once he's cleared to throw off a mound.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Shut down with shoulder swelling
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Atlanta placed Lopez on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation.
After exiting his start Tuesday against the Nationals with what had been described as shoulder tightness, Lopez described himself as day-to-day. Initial tests came back clean, per Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The right-hander had been scheduled to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, and while Atlanta hasn't disclosed the results of his imaging, Lopez will be shelved until at least the final week of the regular season while he waits for the swelling in his shoulder to subside. While the injury makes Lopez a drop candidate in most redraft formats, Atlanta will hope that he makes a swift enough recovery to put himself in consideration for a spot on the postseason pitching staff, should the club clinch a playoff spot.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Further testing on shoulder
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Lopez will undergo further testing on his right shoulder Wednesday after an initial exam Tuesday came back favorably, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lopez lasted just one inning in Tuesday's start against the Nationals before exiting with right shoulder tightness. It's the second arm-related injury he's had in the second half, as Lopez previously missed three weeks of action with right forearm inflammation. On a possibly-related note, Lopez's 132.2 innings this season between the majors and one minor-league rehab start are nearly 70 more than he threw in either of the previous two campaigns. He'll likely miss at least one start, at minimum, but more will be known once the exam results are in.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Exits early Tuesday
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Lopez (undisclosed) exited Tuesday's start against the Nationals after one inning, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Lopez pitched a scoreless first inning before meeting with manager Brian Snitker, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and a trainer. Lopez's velocity was down a couple notches in the frame and he was ultimately removed from the contest. It's unclear what the right-hander is dealing with, but more information on his status will likely be provided in the near future. In the meantime, Jesse Chavez replaced him on the mound against Washington.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Fans season-high 11 batters in loss
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Lopez (8-5) took the loss against the Rockies on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out 11.
Lopez struck out three of the first five batters he faced before giving up a solo homer to Michael Toglia in the second inning. The right-hander would then cruise through the next three frames until he was victimized by the long ball again in the sixth, this time off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar. Lopez would still make it through six innings to log his third consecutive quality start while also posting a season-high 11 strikeouts on the night, though he was ultimately tagged with his first loss since July 22. He's now recorded double-digit strikeouts in two of his last four outings and carries a robust 34:5 K:BB since being activated from the injured list a few weeks back.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Defeats Phillies
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Lopez (8-4) allowed a run on four hits and a walk over six innings Friday, striking out six and earning a win over Philadelphia.
The only damage against Lopez was Bryson Stott's solo shot in the fourth inning. In three starts since returning from injury, Lopez has given up three runs over 17 frames. He forced 13 whiffs Friday, including seven with the slider, and he earned his first win since July 7. He's been outstanding all year, registering a 2.00 ERA through 121.2 frames. Lopez is currently lined up for a home matchup against the Rockies next week.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Another strong start
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Lopez didn't factor into the decision Sunday against Washington, allowing one run on three hits and three walks across six innings. He struck out seven.
Lopez hasn't skipped a beat since a stint on the injured list with forearm tightness threw a wrench in his dominant 2024 campaign. In two starts (11 innings) since being activated, Lopez has allowed two runs with 17 strikeouts. The 30-year-old is approaching a sub-2.00 ERA, with Sunday's outing moving his ERA from 2.05 to 2.02 -- which would lead MLB starters if he qualified. Lopez is tentatively scheduled to face the Phillies in Philadelphia next.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Punches out 10 in return
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Lopez allowed one run on five hits and one walk over five innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Phillies. He struck out 10.
Making his first start since July 28, Lopez looked sharp against a stout Phillies lineup, logging a season-high 10 strikeouts while allowing a lone run on a J.T. Realmuto base hit in the fourth inning. Atlanta didn't seem to have any limitations on Lopez in his return -- he threw 90 pitches over five frames before departing with the game tied 1-1. Overall, the 30-year-old Lopez is 7-4 with a sparkling 2.05 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 112:38 K:BB across 20 starts (109.2 innings) this season. He's currently lined up for a home matchup this weekend with the Nationals in his next outing.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Activated ahead of Tuesday's start
Rotowire
Atlanta activated Lopez (forearm) from the 15-day injured list Monday.
Lopez will rejoin the rotation Tuesday with a start against the Phillies after missing the past three weeks with right forearm inflammation. He threw 71 pitches and covered four innings in one rehab outing, so Lopez could be slightly limited from a workload perspective Tuesday.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Confirmed to start Tuesday
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Lopez (forearm) will start Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Lopez has been sidelined since July 28 but recently reached 71 pitches in a rehab outing. He shouldn't have significant limitations as a result, though he will face a tough Phillies lineup, so he may struggle to work efficiently.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Throws 71 pitches in rehab start
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Lopez (forearm) allowed three runs while striking out four over four innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Lopez threw 71 pitches in the outing and averaged 94.5 mph with his four-seamer, down a tick from his season average. It should be the only rehab start Lopez needs, with the righty likely to return to the Atlanta rotation either Sunday on the road against the Angels or Tuesday at home versus the Phillies. Lopez has been out since late July with right forearm inflammation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Making rehab start Tuesday
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Lopez (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Lopez's upcoming start with Gwinnett may be the only one he requires before returning from the 15-day injured list, potentially setting him up to rejoin Atlanta's rotation either Sunday on the road against the Angels or back at home next Monday versus the Phillies. The right-hander hadn't made a start since July 28 because of right forearm inflammation.
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Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Goes on IL with forearm swelling
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Atlanta placed Lopez on the 15-day injured list Monday with right forearm inflammation.
Atlanta had been hoping that Lopez would miss just one turn through the rotation after an MRI revealed no structural damage to his forearm, but the right-hander wasn't progressing as quickly as expected, as he hadn't thrown off a mound since exiting his last start July 28. The club will now give Lopez some extra time to heal up, and since his placement on the IL is backdated to this past Friday, he'll be eligible for activation as soon as Aug. 17. Atlanta called up Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move, and he'll step into Lopez's spot in the rotation and start Tuesday's game against the Brewers.
