MLB ERA leader López exits start with forearm tightness

NEW YORK -- Braves manager Brian Snitker would have loved to have savored a 9-2 win over the Mets on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field. Matt Olson homered in consecutive games for the first time this year and his team strengthened its place atop the National League Wild Card standings.

But the postgame focus was on MLB ERA leader Reynaldo López, who exited after three scoreless innings because of right forearm tightness. Just when it looked like the Braves might be trending in the right direction, they were punched in the gut yet again by the injury bug.

“It sucks,” Olson said. “It kind of feels like every week or every other week, we’re getting some bad news. So definitely hoping for the best here.”

López returned to Atlanta on Sunday for further evaluation. Even if the MRI results don’t show structural damage, a stint on the 15-day injured list seems likely. But the Braves would be pleased to learn the All-Star hurler needs just a short rest.

There weren’t any apparent signs of discomfort during López’s 57-pitch outing. His final fastball was clocked at 97.4 mph, his fastest pitch of the day. Marcell Ozuna actually alerted the coaching staff, telling them López was in the tunnel behind the dugout after the third.

“You think of when [the injuries are] going to stop,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said. “Hopefully, it’s nothing serious and the results come back positive and he doesn’t miss much.”

López leads qualified Major League starters with a 2.06 ERA. He made a successful conversion from reliever to starter this year, but there was always some concern about him serving as a starter over an entire season for the first time since 2019.

The 30-year-old righty didn’t complete more than 66 innings in either of the past two seasons (MLB and Minors combined). He has totaled 104 2/3 innings this year, as the Braves have carefully managed his workload. Nine of his 19 starts have been made with two extra days of rest. Just two were made with regular rest.

“You can never be too careful when they get tightness,” Snitker said. “That’s probably why he’s already at the airport or in the air right now. You want to be proactive.”

Along with wanting to know López’s status, the Braves need to have an understanding of where they stand leading up to Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. They definitely need an outfielder. Does this latest injury also create the need for a starting pitcher? Or is it a sign that the team shouldn’t be too aggressive during this injury-marred season?

It’s been a frustration-filled season for the Braves. But it’s impressive that they still have a 1 1/2-game lead for second place in the NL East after losing Ronald Acu?a Jr. and Spencer Strider to season-ending injuries. Michael Harris II will end up missing two months before returning during August’s second half. Ozzie Albies will be out until the second half of September.

Chris Sale, Max Fried and López represented the Braves at the All-Star Game just two weeks ago. Fried has since gone on the injured list, and López could soon join him.

Even with all of the injuries, the Braves would be considered a World Series threat if they entered the postseason with each of these top three starting pitchers healthy. Fried felt good playing catch on Sunday and could be activated during the next homestand.

If López is projected to miss significant time, it would be hard for the Braves to justify making an aggressive move before Tuesday’s Deadline. But if it looks like he might need to miss a couple of weeks, this might end up being the rest he needed to ensure he’ll be strong in the postseason.

Along with hoping to get good news about López, the Braves are hoping this is the start of a hot streak for Olson, who still has a .705 OPS despite homering each of the past two days. The first baseman hit an opposite-field homer on Saturday and then pulled a 426-foot three-run shot down the right-field line during Sunday’s fourth inning.

There was plenty of reason for encouragement, as the Braves responded to a six-game losing streak by winning the final two games of this four-game series. But the uncertainty surrounding López muddied the optimism built over the past couple of days.

“I love how the guys stepped up today,” Snitker said. “They lost a starter and everybody answered the call.”