ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves lost another reliever to an injury when they placed left-hander Tyler Matzek on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.
The Braves also placed right-hander Pierce Johnson on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation.
The move with Matzek came after he allowed three runs while recording only two outs in an 11-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 33-year-old has a 9.90 ERA in 11 games this season, allowing 11 runs in 10 innings.
The Braves recalled left-hander Ray Kerr from Triple-A Gwinnett before a game against the Boston Red Sox.
Though he’s amid a slump, Jarred Kelenic is still adjusting to his new approach and shouldn’t be considered even close to a hopeless cause. His value in the field is enough to warrant giving him at-bats still in a platoon role with Adam Duvall.
However, the one offseason acquisition that has only impressed is Reynaldo Lopez, who inked a free agent deal worth $30 million over three years, which is pennies for a starting pitcher.
The former reliever came over from the White Sox this offseason and has solidified the Braves rotation following a devastating season-ending injury to Spencer Strider. Lopez has started five games, going 30.0 innings, and owns a 1.50 ERA to go along with a 1.000 WHIP and a 9.3 K/9, prompting praise from MLB executives.
MLB media recently polled anonymous execs on the best offseason signings, and the Braves’ free agent signing unsurprisingly got some praise, “Reynaldo López could be quite a steal for Atlanta if they successfully continue his conversion back into the rotation.” an AL exec said.