Robert Suarez has put a game mound behind him again, and that gives Atlanta another late-inning question to sort out before October.
The right-hander worked a scoreless inning Sunday for Triple-A Gwinnett, allowing one hit and recording one strikeout in his first competitive appearance since June 19. Suarez had been sidelined by inflammation in his right elbow after that outing with the Braves.
Quick facts
- Suarez threw one scoreless inning in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
- He surrendered one hit and struck out one batter.
- The outing was his first game action since June 19 because of right elbow inflammation.
- Before the injury, he owned a 0.56 ERA across 31 appearances for Atlanta.
- The regular season ends Sept. 27, with the National League Wild Card Series scheduled to open Sept. 29.
Atlanta does not need to be reminded what Suarez can mean to the bullpen. Before the elbow issue interrupted his season, he had been one of the club’s most dependable setup options, posting that 0.56 ERA over 31 outings.
Now the decision is less about his track record than his runway. There is little time remaining before the regular season closes Sept. 27, and Atlanta has not committed to placing Suarez back in a Major League game before then.
Manager Walt Weiss said the club is monitoring the reliever day by day and has liked the direction of the rehabilitation work. He said Suarez has moved forward well, while stressing that the team cannot make assumptions about the next step.
“It would be nice to see him in a big league game,” Weiss said, but added that he was unsure whether that would happen before the regular-season finish.
One possible path would keep Suarez working at Atlanta’s Spring Training complex before he joins the bullpen only if the club reaches the postseason. The National League Wild Card Series begins Sept. 29, leaving the Braves to weigh the value of a final Major League tuneup against the progress he has already made.
Sunday’s clean inning did not settle the matter. It did, however, put Suarez back in the conversation at the exact time Atlanta would like another trusted right arm available for the late innings.
