Braves latest starting pitching update proves they're playing with fire

In the wake of one of Chris Sale's best pitching performances of the season, the Atlanta Braves appear to have some more good news regarding their starting rotation. Despite having an innings limit during his first year with the team as a starter, fellow NL All-Star Reynaldo Lopez is set to make a rehab start with Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate Gwinnett on Tuesday night. He will throw around 75 pitches.

On paper, Sale and Lopez have been two of the best pitchers in the National League. Along with southpaw Max Fried, the Atlanta rotation has largely carried this underperforming playoff-caliber team. Atlanta has been in the midst of a terrible run of late, but winning 1-0 in extra innings on Monday night vs. the San Francisco Giants was a huge step in the right direction, or they got lucky...

Either way, Atlanta should be excited about Lopez returning to the starting rotation after a very brief rehabilitation stint down in the minor leagues. However, they seem to be playing with fire here in potentially trying to rush him back. Yes, they kind of need him, but he is rapidly approaching his innings limit for the season. The last thing Atlanta wants is for him to get hurt and miss time in 2025.

I want to believe the Braves will be smart about it, but they have a tendency to overwork their guys.

Atlanta will take on San Francisco Tuesday night with a chance of putting together a winning streak.

Atlanta Braves need Reynaldo Lopez, but can't rush him back to rotation

Even if the Braves do qualify for the postseason, they do not feel like a serious threat to win the World Series. Then again, did we not say the same sort of things about the Arizona Diamondbacks a year ago? They won the NL pennant. Keep in mind that the 2021 Braves were nothing to write home about ... until they were worthy of writing home about. I am not saying play for next year, but let's be smart.

Lopez has been everything and then some for the Braves this season. With each passing start, it feels like he and Sale, and Fried to some extent, have been pushing each other to be even better, much like what we saw with the greatest rotation in baseball featuring Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz. That is lofty praise, but at times, the Braves' trio without Spencer Strider feels like that.

Ultimately, I still think the Braves are going to play as hard as they possibly can this year, despite it clearly being a year from hell for them. Everything was easy, breezy for them during the regular season last year. Then they did what they often do in the postseason and choke almost immediately. Maybe some of the 2021 magic can return to this ball club in time to do the unthinkable once more?

Lopez has gone from a borderline starter, to being a piece Atlanta is going to build a winner around.