With a big matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers looming, Walt Weiss had a little good news to pass along on Robert Suarez.
Suarez still hasn’t reached bullpen sessions, but he has advanced his throwing program to 100 feet, and a move to the mound may not be far off. He has been sidelined since mid-June because of elbow inflammation, and the Braves have continued to say he could return this season. The catch is that he didn’t begin throwing until a couple of weeks ago, so this has always been a slow build.
The next step, according to Weiss, comes after the bullpen work: a rehab assignment.
#Braves RHP Robert Suarez could begin throwing bullpen sessions soon. He's advanced his throwing program out to 100 feet to build up arm strength. Walt Weiss said the next step after throwing bullpens is the rehab assignment.
- Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) August 25, 2026
If Suarez does get on a mound by the end of the month, a mid-September return would at least be in play for a reliever. Let it go much longer than that, and his season starts to look very much in doubt.
The outlook is tougher for Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Strider. All three are still throwing, and Atlanta has not completely shut the door on any of them for this year. Even so, the clock is working against them, and the most realistic path might be a postseason bullpen role for one of them if the Braves make a deep October run.
#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said time is the biggest thing working against their return(s) this season.
- Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) August 25, 2026
Joe Jimenez is another name to keep an eye on, even if the odds are long. He hasn’t pitched since 2024 and has gone through multiple knee operations, which had raised real questions about whether he’d ever get back on a mound. Now, though, he has thrown several bullpens without any problems.
A meaningful return this season still looks unlikely for Jimenez after such a long absence. But the fact that he’s getting through bullpen work at all makes this more than just a medical update. It’s the kind of progress that at least keeps the door open for a bigger comeback story down the road, even if it comes in 2027 and not in a Braves uniform.
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