Robert Suarez is inching closer to a return, and that’s the kind of bullpen news Atlanta can use right now.
In today’s pregame press conference, Weiss said Suarez has been throwing well in bullpen sessions and that a rehab assignment may not be far off. The next checkpoint is obvious: he still has to get through facing live hitters. If he clears that hurdle, the path back starts to look a lot more real.
Suarez has been working his way back from forearm issues for quite a while, but the timing here matters. Atlanta could be getting a serious boost from one of its key late-inning arms just as the Postseason approaches.
Before going down, Suarez had made 31 appearances and logged 32 innings, putting up a 0.56 ERA and a 2.44 FIP. Paired with Raisel Iglesias, he gave opposing hitters a brutal one-two finish at the end of games.
That’s why a successful rehab assignment would be such a big development. The Braves have been waiting on bullpen reinforcements, and Suarez returning would meaningfully raise the ceiling of that group when it matters most.
There was other encouraging news around the roster, too. Ha-Seong Kim is starting to look like a normal baseball player again, Sean Murphy has been getting more and more effective with the bat while continuing to handle things behind the plate, and the team is beginning to resemble the version that was put together during the offseason. It has taken most of the season, but Atlanta may finally be getting close to the roster it was built to be - right as the Postseason arrives.
In Other News...
Braves Suddenly Have An Outfield Problem They Didnt Plan For
Lane Thomas was already fighting for his place in Atlantas outfield mix, and now the Braves have to navigate life without him for at least a stretch after placing him on the injured list with an intercostal injury. Since arriving, Thomas has struggled to get much going at the plate, batting .171/.261/.317 in 21 games, and the injury only adds to the uncertainty around how often he would have played even if he had stayed healthy.
For a club that has leaned on depth to get through the season, losing another outfield option is more than a small inconvenience. It tightens the margin on the bench and could force the Braves to shuffle the roster to cover innings and at-bats in the outfield, especially while they try to sort out who can handle regular work and who might simply be insurance. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Took Another Hit To Their Pitching Depth
The Braves saw another bit of pitching depth slip away when the Giants claimed right-hander Duncan Davitt off waivers and sent him to Triple-A Sacramento. San Francisco cleared room on its 40-man roster by designating Spencer Bivens for assignment, a reminder of how quickly these fringe arm transactions can ripple through a bullpen picture this time of year.
Atlantas interest, of course, is less about the Giants paperwork than its own October posture. The club placed Bryce Elder on the injured list while activating Reynaldo Lpez, a move that keeps the big-league staff aligned for the postseason but also underscores how thin the cushion can be when injuries and roster churn hit at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Add Catching Depth As Their October Plan Gets More Interesting
The Braves added another layer to their catching picture on September 1, signing Eric Haase to a minor league contract and sending him to their Florida complex. It is the kind of low-risk move that can matter in September, especially for a team always trying to keep its roster flexible as the calendar turns toward October. Atlanta already views Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy as its catching duo, but the addition of Haase gives the club another experienced name to keep in the mix.
Haase has been around the block this season, having played for three organizations, including the Giants and White Sox. His appeal has always been obvious enough: real power from a catcher, even if the strikeouts have come with it. If the Braves decide they want him available for the postseason, he is eligible as long as the paperwork is filed by the league deadline, leaving at least one more roster decision hanging as the October picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]