The Braves made a pair of roster moves Wednesday that put Reynaldo López back in the rotation and gave Bailey Falter a shot with the big league club, while Bryce Elder landed on the injured list and Elieser Hernández was designated for assignment.
López’s activation was expected, since he was the obvious choice to replace Elder for the middle game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The more notable wrinkle came with Falter stepping in for Hernández, who is once again off the roster after a relatively extended run with Atlanta.
López has taken a winding route through 2026, working both as a starter and out of the bullpen before returning to the rotation with this move. In 24 appearances, including 11 starts, he has posted a 3.64 ERA and a 4.32 FIP across 71.2 innings. That’s a solid line when he’s been available and functioning at a normal level.
Availability has been the issue. López has spent stretches dealing with this or mechanical problems that have limited how often he’s been able to take the mound. Now he gets another chance to show the Braves that the rotation is where he belongs, and he could wind up being an important arm for them over the final stretch.
Falter, meanwhile, arrives after Atlanta moved on from Hernández. The Braves picked up Falter from the Royals in one of their deadline deals, then sent him to Triple-A right away. He has pitched well for Gwinnett, and the move gives Atlanta another bullpen option for the games ahead.
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 🡒]