This roster move follows the team acquiring Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter from the Royals, while other pitching depth issues continue to mount.
The club announced that right-hander Reynaldo López landed on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation, retroactive to July 30th. López was a late scratch from his scheduled start after experiencing discomfort during pregame warmups, forcing Martín Pérez into action to throw seven scoreless innings with six strikeouts against the Nationals.
Rotation Strain and the Absence of Spencer Strider
López underwent an MRI following the scratch, though Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported that test results remained pending while recovery timelines are evaluated over the coming days. The 32-year-old righty holds a 3.64 ERA with a 21.6% strikeout rate and a 9.5% walk rate across 71 2/3 innings this season, following a transition from the bullpen back into the rotation in late June.
His absence thins an Atlanta rotation already navigating significant long-term losses. Right-hander Spencer Strider continues facing a lengthy absence after going down with right elbow inflammation on June 13th, subsequently moving to the 60-day injured list. Bowman noted that Strider is unlikely to return this season, and his locker was reportedly cleared out during the Braves’ previous homestand. Strider struggled to a 5.31 ERA across 39 innings in eight starts before the injury. Meanwhile, righty Spencer Schwellenbach targets a September return, and Hurston Waldrep seeks a second opinion after exiting a Triple-A start due to right arm discomfort.
Roster Moves and Infielder Ha-Seong Kim’s Status
To cover immediate pitching needs, the Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett to start against the Nationals. Ritchie, the No. 35 overall draft pick in 2022, joins a group behind Chris Sale and Grant Holmes that features Bryce Elder, Pérez, and Bailey Falter. Falter arrived from Kansas City alongside Thomas, though he has logged limited major league action this season due to left elbow inflammation and an outright release in June.
On the infield side, Ha-Seong Kim finished his rehab assignment with Gwinnett and awaits imminent activation. Kim signed a one-year, $20MM deal with Atlanta this offseason, but hand and finger injuries limited him to just 82 plate appearances and a .068/.171/.068 batting line. Jim Jarvis filled in capably during Kim’s absence, batting .278/.333/.417 with a 107 wRC+ in 81 plate appearances since July 2nd. According to Bowman, Jarvis will remain the primary shortstop going forward, leaving Kim ticketed for a backup role ahead of his upcoming free agency.
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