Atlanta Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez shocked everyone when he became one of the best pitchers on the team in 2024. Lopez was originally expected to be a bullpen arm, so it surprised everyone learning he was announced as a starter that season.
He pitched well enough to earn his first All-Star selection and was in the Cy Young conversation early on. However, his shoulder didn't seem to handle that return to starting well, as he landed on the IL with shoulder issues multiple times.
Lopez's injury issues also plagued him after one start in 2025, and we learned he needed surgery on his right shoulder. That put him out for the season, and was a bad omen of things to come for the Braves and the season spiraled out of control not long after
Lopez is expected to return in 2026, but the big questions fans have are: What will his role be? And does his presence on the roster have any impact on the team's offseason plans? With a few of Atlanta's starters recovering from injuries, Lopez has become quite the wild card for 2026.
Reynaldo Lopez's return will dictate a lot about how the Braves' 2026 season will go
With his shoulder concerns, the Braves would be wise to ease him back into things. He has bullpen experience and could be a perfect fit for a long relief role. However, there is a need in the rotation with AJ Smith-Shawver, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Grant Holmes all rehabbing elbow injuries.
No word has been given that Atlanta plans on moving Lopez into the bullpen. We have to assume starting is still on the table, and he has the experience. This shouldn't discourage the team from adding to the rotation, however.
Braves insider Mark Bowman reported that Alex Anthopoulos indicated adding to the rotation is "on Atlanta's front burner this winter." Hopefully, this turns out to be the case.
What we can depend on is that Lopez will be on the roster this season. He will make $14 million this season, and if he can stay healthy, it would be worth spending the money on. If he continues to struggle with the shoulder issues, that would be a tough pill to swallow.
The silver lining with Lopez is he is able to fill multiple roles, and that gives the front office some flexibility in their decision-making process.