The Atlanta Braves could not have scripted a worse start to the 2025 campaign. Having to face the Los Angeles Dodgers this week hasn’t exactly provided them much relief, either.
The Braves opened the season by being swept in a four-game series against the San Diego Padres. Then, ahead of their first game against the Dodgers on Monday, Major League Baseball announced that their major offseason acquisition in Jurickson Profar tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended for 80 games effective immediately.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Braves All-Star starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, who was scheduled to start Wednesday’s game against Los Angeles, was placed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Bryce Elder will start in place of Lopez on Wednesday.
The #Braves today placed RHP Reynaldo López on the 15-day injured list, backdated to March 29, with right shoulder inflammation, and recalled RHP Bryce Elder to Atlanta.
Lopez, 31, pitched five innings in his season debut last week, allowing nine hits and three earned runs while striking out one. Last year, in his first full season as a starter since 2020, the right-hander excelled, sporting a 1.99 ERA across 135.2 innings pitched with 148 strikeouts. He made his first All-Star team and even finished 11th in National League Cy Young voting.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, Lopez will now miss a couple turns in the rotation. Elder, who had a 6.52 ERA across 49.2 innings last year, will hope to get Atlanta’s season on track.
The Braves have reigning NL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale taking the mound against the Dodgers on Tuesday night against a right-handed-heavy lineup without Freddie Freeman. If Sale can’t lead them to victory, it’ll be up to Elder to prevent Atlanta from opening the season a brutal 0-7.
