Reynaldo López Nears Braves Return After 5 Scoreless Rehab Innings
López threw 5 scoreless innings in a rehab outing, per Brent Maguire at MLB.com, putting him on track for a potential return to Atlanta.
Reynaldo López took a significant step toward rejoining the Atlanta Braves, tossing 5 scoreless innings in a rehab outing, per Brent Maguire at MLB.com.
The timing carries some weight. With Spencer Schwellenbach requiring another elbow surgery after rehab setbacks — a development reported earlier this week — Atlanta's rotation depth has taken a real hit heading into the stretch run. A healthy López returning to the mix would give the Braves a meaningful piece back, particularly as they remain tied with the Dodgers in the race for the second NL postseason bye.
What we don't know yet
No return date has been announced, and the report stops short of any roster move. López is nearing a return, not confirmed for one. What the next step looks like — another rehab appearance, a roster decision, a specific target date — remains unspecified in the material.
The Braves rotation has led the NL in starter ERA since the trade deadline, per previous reporting, so the foundation is there. Whether López slots back in before the postseason picture clarifies is the thread worth watching.
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