Joe Jimenez is one of the newest additions to the Atlanta Braves' bullpen. His journey to the Braves faced a bit of a speed bump, but Jimenez appears to be on the right track for Atlanta on the onset of Spring Training.

Jimenez underwent minimally invasive back surgery in October, via David O'Brien of The Athletic. Despite undergoing surgery, the relief pitcher resumed throwing in November and plans to be ready for Opening Day.

“Just a minor thing. I'm close to 100 percent right now,” Jimenez said about his back. “I didn't go to the (World Baseball Classic) just to be careful, but I'm going to be good for Opening Day.

The Braves acquired Joe Jimenez from the Detroit Tigers in a trade earlier this offseason. He spent six years with the Tigers, appearing in 297 games. Jimenez has 20 career saves with a 5.24 ERA and a 333/108 K/BB ratio. He earned an All Star nod in 2018.

While it didn't result in an All Star appearance, Jimenez is coming off of arguably his best season in the big leagues. Over 62 games for the Tigers, Jimenez racked up a career-low 3.49 ERA and a 77/13 K/BB ratio.

The Braves will certainly welcome Jimenez's re-emergence in Atlanta. Their bullpen was one of the team's strengths in 2022 as Atlanta's 3.03 bullpen ERA was the fourth-best in the MLB. Adding Jimenez only makes a strong bullpen even stronger.

Jimenez won't be able to compete for his native Puerto Rico in the WBC. But after undergoing back surgery, he is ready to be back by Opening Day and is looking forward to helping the Braves achieve their lofty postseason goals.