Being the only winless team in Major League Baseball after nearly a full week of play was not the expectation for Brian Snitker and the Atlanta Braves. After Wednesday, Atlanta is a stunning 0-7 after being swept by both the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The lack of success is concerning but it is the fact there is not really a light shining at the end of the tunnel that is already causing some panic. Outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended 80 games for PED use and now one of Atlanta’s most reliable starting pitchers will miss a significant amount of time.
Reynaldo Lopez, who went 8-5 last season with a 1.99 ERA, was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week. It is now determined that Lopez will have to undergo shoulder surgery and will miss around two months, according to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman. Here are three players that need to step up in Lopez’s absence.
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Bryce Elder
The most obvious answer here is that the man taking Lopez's spot in the rotation needs to fill the void. For now, that will be right-hander Bryce Elder, who will have that opportunity. Elder has bounced back and forth between AAA to the big leagues constantly throughout his young career.
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AJ Smith-Shawver
AJ Smith-Shawver was expected to be a young arm at the back end of the Braves rotation that can develop and just keep them in games every five days. Now, with the absence of Lopez, Smith-Shawver will need to develop a little bit quicker.
The Braves need Smith-Shawver to pitch like a number two starter while Lopez is sidelined. Although Elder is the one replacing Lopez in the rotation, Smith-Shawver is the one who has the potential to elevate his game to Lopez’s expectations. Smith-Shawver likely feels more pressure than anyone in the Braves rotation.
Chris Sale
Chris Sale was purely dominant in 2024, capturing his first career Cy Young Award and NL Triple Crown. The Braves don’t just need Sale to return to that form, they have to have him at that level in 2025 to reach their goals.
With Spencer Strider expected to return from injury soon, Sale is currently the ace of the Braves pitching staff. Even when Strider is back in the rotation, Sale will need to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. With how depleted and inconsistent the rest of the rotation feels, Strider and Sale will have to carry the Atlanta pitching staff if they want to be successful.