The Braves returned left-handed pitcher Lucas Luetge from his rehabilitation assignment Friday and reinstated him from the injured list.
The corresponding move, however, is not good news: The Braves placed Dylan Lee on the 15-day injured list, backdated to Wednesday, with left shoulder inflammation.
“He complained about some soreness the day after his last outing, and it just hadn’t gotten any better,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “And it didn’t look like it was gonna get better with two or three more days off. It’s just rather than going short, (let’s) just calm everything down.”
Lee has allowed seven earned runs over 20-1/3 innings this season. His 20 appearances are three off the MLB lead. Snitker has tried to stay away from Lee whenever possible, but the Braves’ bullpen carried a heavy workload early in the season because of the injuries in the rotation and the lack of off-days until recently.
In Lee’s last outing, Tuesday, he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits over 1-1/3 innings. For context: Lee had never been hit around like that in his career, and had hardly been scored off of like that.
In 73 career appearances before Lee’s last outing, including the postseason, the lefty had never given up more than three hits.
He’s never allowed more than three earned runs, and he’s only surrendered three once. He’s given up two or more runs five times, and three of them have come this season.
Luetge has been out since the middle of April because of left bicep inflammation. Before going on the injured list, he had allowed six earned runs over 6-2/3 innings.
His start probably was not indicative of the reliever he can be, given he pitched to a 2.74 ERA with the Yankees in 2021, then posted a 2.67 ERA with them last year.
“Talking to him today, he’s ready to go,” Snitker said. “I think he feels like everything (from) went he went down is taken care of. So it’s nice that we have a guy like that to tap into in this situation.”
Another bullpen game on Saturday
Charlie Morton was lined up as the starting pitcher Saturday versus Seattle. He will not pitch then.
Instead, the Braves had an opening that day. And after Friday’s win over Seattle, Snitker said the club will open Saturday’s game with Jesse Chavez.
Bryce Elder’s six innings on Friday were important because he helped put the Braves in a good spot for another bullpen day – their third in the last nine games, dating to May 10.
“Really, really big,” Snitker said of Elder. “He was doing it so efficiently, and just right on point. It’s huge, especially going into a game like (Saturday).”
Morton will pitch Monday against the Dodgers. The Braves are giving him extra rest again.
Jared Shuster will start Sunday’s series finale versus Seattle.
