Robert Suarez activated off injured list, could pitch Wednesday

The Braves got a major lift to their already strong bullpen Wednesday when setup man Robert Suarez was activated off the injured list ahead of the team’s game with the Reds at Truist Park.

Suarez has not pitched for the Braves since June 19 and has been on the injured list, first with forearm tightness and then with elbow inflammation in his throwing arm, since June 23. But after throwing two live batting practices at Truist Park last week, and then logging a scoreless inning of relief for Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, the Braves want to get the hard-throwing righty some regular-season work before the postseason.

“Ideally, you see him probably a couple times before the end (of the regular season),” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday. “I think it’s important that he gets a major league game or two before he has to be thrown into that environment in the postseason, to be fair to him.”

Suarez, who signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Braves in December, appeared in 31 games over the first 2 1/2 months of the season. He had a 0.56 ERA and 0.844 WHIP while striking out 26 hitters over 32 innings.

An All-Star with the Padres the previous two seasons, Suarez has allowed just two earned runs (and allowed only one inherited runner to score) for the Braves and has recorded four saves.

To make room on the 28-man roster for Suarez, the Braves optioned rookie Owen Murphy. Murphy allowed three earned runs — two on solo homers — in three innings during Tuesday’s loss to the Reds.