Braves’ Reynaldo Lopez headed to injured list

By Mark Bowman, Braves.com

CHICAGO — With less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Atlanta Braves are once again scrambling for starting pitching.

Reynaldo López will be placed on the 15-day injured list because of discomfort in his right shoulder after struggling in Monday night’s 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

López lasted only three innings, allowing five runs on six hits. Manager Walt Weiss revealed afterward that the right-hander has been dealing with intermittent shoulder problems.

“He said he’s had some good days and bad days throughout the year,” Weiss said. “Sometimes he hasn’t felt it at all, and then sometimes he does. So we’ve got to change course here.”

The timing isn’t ideal.

Atlanta has 11 games remaining and is attempting to protect a 4 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia in the National League East. A rotation that has been tested by injuries throughout the season must now find another way to cover innings during the stretch run.

“Luckily we have options,” Weiss said. “We have guys stretched out. We have some guys we can go to.”

One of them will get an opportunity immediately.

JR Ritchie will be promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Wednesday’s series finale at Wrigley Field. AJ Smith-Shawver, who was recently shifted to the bullpen, could also return to the rotation if necessary.

Chris Sale, Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes and Martín Pérez are the current starters expected to figure into Atlanta’s postseason plans. But with nearly two weeks remaining, the Braves need more than four starters just to reach October.

Smith-Shawver provided one encouraging development Monday.

The 23-year-old entered in the fourth inning after López’s departure and retired eight of the first nine Cubs he faced. He eventually worked five innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out two and walking three.

Pete Crow-Armstrong accounted for much of the damage, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth.

“AJ did exactly what we needed him to do,” Weiss said. “He covered the rest of the game and did it competitively.”

Smith-Shawver began the season still working his way back from Tommy John surgery and didn’t make his Atlanta debut until late July, a little more than 13 months after the procedure.

His return to the rotation hasn’t gone as hoped. Smith-Shawver has a 7.71 ERA in five starts, essentially eliminating him from consideration for a spot in Atlanta’s postseason rotation.

The Braves recently moved him to the bullpen to determine whether his power arm could be more effective in a relief role. Monday provided an extended look at that possibility, although López’s injury could force Atlanta to reconsider.

Smith-Shawver could remain a multi-inning reliever or be called upon to make another start before the regular season ends.

“The way some of my starts have been going, I think it’s good to just get a little different feel, a little different look at it,” Smith-Shawver said. “I was happy with it. I’ve done it before, so I’m comfortable with it.”

For López, the shoulder issue represents the latest chapter in an extended struggle to remain healthy.

His arm began bothering him during the final two months of the 2024 season, and he made only one start in 2025 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.

López returned this season and has pitched 79 1/3 innings with a 4.54 ERA, but Monday’s outing demonstrated the shoulder still isn’t consistently cooperating.

“It’s not really pain so much,” López said. “It’s just something that doesn’t feel great.”

Atlanta has spent much of the year searching for enough healthy starting pitchers. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep were lost to elbow injuries during the first week of spring training, and Spencer Strider suffered a season-ending elbow injury in June.

Now López joins them on the sidelines.

The Braves have managed to withstand those losses and remain in control of the NL East race.

With 11 games left, they’ll have to do it one more time.