The Atlanta Braves activated right-handed relief pitcher Robert Suárez from the injured list and optioned pitching prospect Owen Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett in a roster move announced by the club. Suárez returns to the Major League roster for the final week of the regular season following a lengthy recovery from right elbow soreness that sidelined him since June.
Atlanta Braves Reinstate Robert Suárez and Option Owen Murphy Ahead of Postseason
Suárez last pitched for Atlanta on June 19 before landing on the injured list. Prior to the injury, he established himself as a high-leverage bullpen arm, posting a 0.56 ERA, a 0.844 WHIP, and a 758 ERA+ across 32 innings of work, according to Atlanta News First. His 758 ERA+ marks the top mark in baseball for qualified pitchers. To prepare for his return, Suárez made a rehab appearance Sunday for the Gwinnett Stripers, throwing a scoreless inning.
Team officials opted for an exceptionally cautious recovery timeline to avoid any setbacks that would jeopardize his availability for October. With his upper-90s velocity reportedly intact during his minor league assignment, the team aims to give him brief regular-season appearances to shake off rust before playoff series begin.
To clear a roster spot for Suárez, the Braves optioned rookie right-hander Owen Murphy. Murphy struggled during his time with the Major League club, yielding 17 hits and 8.0 earned runs across 12 innings of work. The corresponding roster swap leaves manager Walt Weiss with a reinforced bullpen featuring Suárez, Raisel Iglesias, Dylan Lee, and Didier Fuentes heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Worth a look