The Atlanta Braves enter the offseason with their bullpen in flux. After Aaron Bummer moved to the 60-day injured list and Reynaldo López continued a months-long shoulder rehab, Atlanta’s late-inning plan needs reinforcements — especially a dependable left-handed option and a trusted leverage arm. Here’s what changed in September and what tops the to-do list.
Bummer’s 60-Day IL Forces Lefty Reset
The Braves transferred Aaron Bummer to the 60-day injured list on Sept. 18 with left shoulder inflammation on the MLB.com injuries & roster-moves hub. To clear a 40-man spot, Atlanta also claimed infielder Brett Wisely off waivers, a move summarized in Battery Power’s recap.
López Timeline Pushes 2026 Planning
Reynaldo López underwent an arthroscopic shoulder procedure that found no structural damage, and the club indicated he’d miss most of 2025 in MLB.com’s update. The team’s injuries hub now lists an expected return of 2026, making his timeline a key variable in how the Braves build the back end this winter.
Lara Call-Up Becomes One-Inning Audition
We broke down two pitching prospects on the rise, including how Jhancarlos Lara’s upper-90s fastball and improving strike-throwing could translate in one-inning work. Atlanta called up Jhancarlos Lara to see how his power profile plays against big-league hitters.
What Atlanta Needs: LH Matchup, RH Bat-Misser
Atlanta needs two pieces: a left-handed matchup arm to cover Bummer’s role and a bat-missing right-hander who can handle the eighth or ninth. That setup lets Brian Snitker use Lara, Dylan Lee, and Joe Jiménez in defined middle-innings lanes — building on the roles we detailed in our recent bullpen depth move.
How quickly López returns to form — and whether Atlanta lands a proven leverage piece — will shape the 2026 bullpen. In a tighter NL East, late-game margins will matter even more.
