Everyone is well aware that the Atlanta Braves' rotation is in shambles right now. Their entire Opening Day rotation is now on the injured list after Grant Holmes' injury and Atlanta has run out of options that can adequately replace them. If you need proof, the Braves have added Joey Wentz as well as Erick Fedde recently to start actual baseball games. Part of the problem has been that the Braves basically started the season down an arm from the get-go after Reynaldo Lopez's shoulder surgery.
The Braves signed Lopez with the express purpose of converting him back into a starter after being in the bullpen for several years. His first season with Atlanta was a rousing success as Lopez was an All-Star and posted a 1.99 ERA across 26 appearances, though he did deal with some injuries and fatigue down the stretch.
While Lopez's shoulder issue is expected to be resolved after his clean-up procedure, Braves insider Mark Bowman seems to think that Atlanta could consider moving Lopez back to the bullpen.
Moving Reynaldo Lopez back to the Braves bullpen going forward is a distinct possibility
As good as Lopez was last year as a starter, Bowman does have a point here. While he didn't go into too much detail or cite sources with Atlanta, he did say that Lopez is going to be considered an option for the team's rotation in 2026. However, he also said that it "might be best to limit him to a relief role" going forward.
This isn't the first time that a team has tried to convert a bullpen arm to the rotation and it won't be the last time it doesn't work out. For every Seth Lugo that earns a healthy extension and succeeds in the new role, there are many others that cannot hold up to the wear and tear of starting and the number of extra innings that entails.
In an ideal world, Lopez bounces right back from his procedure and he retakes the reins as a starter without any other issues. However, given how the 2024 season ended and the fact that he is about to miss most or all of the 2025 season with shoulder troubles, adding him back to the Braves bullpen which could use some actual talent would not be the worst outcome.