The Atlanta Braves continue to manage their pitching rotation without ace Spencer Strider and young pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver.
The Braves will not have Reynaldo Lopez start on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, per David O'Brien of The Athletic:
“Braves said after tonight's game that Ray Kerr will start Thursday's series finale vs. Nationals, not the originally announced Reynaldo Lopez. Trevor Williams (4-0, 2.29 ERA ) will start for the Nats.”
O'Brien also explained the reasoning for the change.
“Lopez would've been on “regular” four days' rest, which he's only done once this season — in his last start Saturday at Pittsburgh, where he had his shortest outing (4 2/3 IP) and fewest Ks (3) this season. He had 5-6 days' rest in his previous starts.”
Lopez has surprised this season, moving back into a starting rotation for the first time in several years and thriving with the Braves. Originally the team's fifth starter, Lopez has moved up in the rotation due to Strider's season-ending injury.
On the year, Lopez is 2-2 with a sparkling 1.75 ERA in his nine starts for Atlanta.
Kerr, who has appeared in five games for the Braves this season – including one start – has a 5.40 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched.
Braves dealing with significant injuries
In mid-April it was determined that Braves ace starter Spencer Strider would miss the rest of the season after suffering a UCL elbow injury.
Strider's injury is not a UCL tear as originally thought but a bone fragment in the UCL. Strider said that the fragment originally developed during his 2019 Tommy John surgical procedure. He had an internal brace procedure done and will hopefully be back at full strength next season.
Young starter AJ Smith-Shawver, Atlanta's No. 1 prospect, created a lot of buzz when he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his season debut against the Cubs on Thursday. But he learned Friday that he has a Grade 2 left oblique strain that might sideline him for six to eight weeks.
Smith-Shawver felt some discomfort during the third inning but was able to work into the fifth before exiting.
The Braves also announced that star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., last year's unanimous NL MVP, has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 season after an MRI revealed a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee over the weekend.
There is no date yet, but Ronald Acuna Jr. will undergo surgery for his injury. He was forced to exit the Braves' 8-1 win on Sunday after he was injured running the bases between second and third.
This is the second time that Acuna has had his season end due to an ACL tear. In mid-2021, Acuna tore his right ACL while trying to catch a ball in Miami against the Marlins. This time, it is his left knee.
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