The Braves face yet another major injury setback as their starting pitcher was pulled from the game. On Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves found themselves just outside the National League playoff picture, trailing the New York Mets by a single game in the wild-card race. Their struggles in the second half of the season have been largely due to a string of injuries, affecting many of their key players.
On Tuesday, they added another name to that list.
Starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez exited the game after just one inning due to what the team described as right shoulder tightness. Adding to the concern, his velocity appeared to drop before he left the game, with trainers and coaching staff briefly checking on him on the mound.
The 30-year-old Lopez has been having a standout season for the Braves, boasting a 2.03 ERA through his brief outing on Tuesday. If he had pitched enough innings to qualify, this would be the lowest ERA in baseball.
The Braves are already missing several key players, including outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley, and catcher Travis d’Arnaud.
Additionally, starting pitcher Spencer Strider has been sidelined for the season after making just two starts.
Losing Lopez for any amount of time would deal a significant blow to the Braves’ pitching staff and further complicate their efforts to secure a playoff spot.
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