SAN DIEGO -- Now that Anthony Swarzak has returned from the injured list, the Braves will have the remainder of this month to get a better feel for how to address their bullpen before the Trade Deadline.

Swarzak was activated from the 10-day injured list before the Braves opened the season¡¯s second half Friday night against the Padres. The right-handed reliever was sidelined on June 30 with right shoulder inflammation. He missed most of Spring Training with what the Mariners¡¯ training staff termed a right shoulder impingement.

The Braves sent Swarzak to their Spring Training complex in North Port, Fla., this week and were pleased with the side session he completed Wednesday. They were not planning to activate him until Monday, but that changed when left-handed reliever Grant Dayton broke his right big toe while playing catch at SunTrust Park on Thursday afternoon.

¡°I¡¯m very confident this latest stint to the IL was because of A/C joint discomfort, which is normally a weightlifting injury,¡± Swarzak said. ¡°I did get it throwing. But everybody I¡¯ve talked to, even my offseason people, were pretty sure it stemmed from the workouts. That¡¯s something we¡¯ll address this offseason. But right now, in season, I feel great.¡±

Swarzak has posted a 0.52 ERA and limited opponents to a .219 on-base percentage over the 17 1/3 innings (17 appearances) he has made since Atlanta acquired him from the Mariners on May 20. If the 33-year-old reliever remains healthy and effective, the Braves might deduce they do not have a definitive need to add another proven back-end bullpen asset before the July 31 Trade Deadline.

But because there is a true trade deadline this year and teams will not be permitted to trade for players who pass through waivers in August, the Braves might be taking a risk by assuming Swarzak¡¯s shoulder will remain healthy over the remainder of the regular season and into October.

Swarzak¡¯s plan is to alter his weight training this offseason. But there is no guarantee that the two-week rest he just experienced will prove to be a sufficient long-term remedy over the remainder of the regular season.

¡°He says he feels great,¡± Braves manager Brian Snitker said. ¡°He threw some extended bullpens. He hadn¡¯t been out that long.¡±

Dating to Swarzak¡¯s May 22 Atlanta debut, the Braves have posted a MLB-best 2.71 ERA. Closer Luke Jackson and Jacob Webb each has posted a sub-2.20 ERA in that span. A.J. Minter and Chad Sobotka have returned from the Minors looking much more like the effective relievers they were projected to be.

Given the evolution of this previously maligned bullpen, there¡¯s seemingly a much greater need for the Braves to address their rotation. Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer and Zack Wheeler are among the frontline starters who might become available within the next few weeks.

But given the plethora of inexperience that exists within the relief corps, the Braves might not want to roll the dice by simply hoping Swarzak¡¯s shoulder will remain healthy and the young relievers will continue to be reliable assets.