It has been apparent for a while that something is not right with Reynaldo Lopez. Going back to when the Atlanta Braves were in camp, concerns with Lopez's velocity did pop up this spring. Instead of blaming the surgery on his throwing shoulder, Lopez blamed mechanical issues, declared himself healthy, and seemed to get back on track temporarily. With Lopez's struggles in his last couple of starts, it is no wonder that the Braves are taking action to try to head off an even bigger problem.
It may be true that Lopez has mechanical issues, but it is hard to believe that his shoulder isn't still a problem. This isn't simply a command problem. Lopez's velocity is down, and his slider isn't sharp. When the problem is that everything has taken a step back, health is a more logical explanation.
So, when Braves beat writer Mark Bowman revealed on Sunday that the Braves made the decision to move Lopez to the bullpen, it didn't really come as a huge surprise. However, the next steps after that are anything but straightforward.
Braves starters vs DET: Martin Perez (Tuesday) JR Ritchie (Wednesday) and Bryce Elder (Thursday). Reynaldo Lopez will be used as a reliever while he tries to fix some mechanical issues
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 26, 2026
Reynaldo Lopez's move to the bullpen needs to work, or the Braves have some tough choices to make
At first glance, it seems this move could make the Braves even better. Lopez was a shutdown reliever before the Braves moved him back into the rotation. With Atlanta's middle relief looking kind of vulnerable, having a length option like Lopez could be amazing, assuming that JR Ritchie and/or Didier Fuentes pitch well in the rotation in his place.
However, this also feels like an acknowledgement that the Braves know that what ails Lopez isn't going to be fixed by a short IL stint. If the problems are purely mechanical, they must be substantial enough that Atlanta thinks he will be a work in progress for a while. In the event that his issues have their origin in his shoulder health (which seems more likely), Atlanta is sending a clear message that they know they have to be very careful about how much Lopez throws per appearance.
After this season, the Braves have an $8 million club option on Lopez that is very much in question all of a sudden. If Lopez is starting regularly and has his usual stuff, exercising that option would be a no-brainer. However, if Lopez is relegated to the bullpen with diminished stuff and a problematic shoulder, he may be on his last chance to prove that he should stick around beyond 2026.
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