Ahead of the Braves’ pivotal showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Walt Weiss had a fairly encouraging update on Robert Suarez. He hasn’t started throwing bullpens yet, but he’s worked his way up to throwing from 100 feet, and getting on a mound could be right around the corner.
#Braves RHP Robert Suarez could begin throwing bullpen sessions soon. He's advanced his throwing program out to 100 feet to build up arm strength. Walt Weiss said the next step after throwing bullpens is the rehab assignment.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) August 25, 2026
Suarez has been out since mid-June with elbow inflammation. The Braves have been consistent about him returning this season, but he didn’t start throwing at all until a couple of weeks ago. This was always going to be a relatively lengthy process to get him game ready.
Hopefully Suarez begins throwing off a mound by the end of the month. Given that he’s a reliever, it’s more than reasonable to think he could return by mid-September if that’s the case. If this drags on much longer, his season could really be in jeopardy.
As far as Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Strider, all three are continuing their throwing programs. The Braves haven’t completely ruled them out for the season, but the writing appears to be on the wall. At most, perhaps one of them makes a return during the postseason out of the bullpen if Atlanta makes a deep run into October.
There's no substantial update on Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider or Hurston Waldrep.#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said time is the biggest thing working against their return(s) this season.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) August 25, 2026
Another pitcher worth monitoring is Joe Jimenez. Once one of the Braves’ top relievers, he hasn’t pitched since 2024 and has undergone a slew of operations on his knee. There was significant concern about whether he’d ever pitch again, but he’s now thrown a handful of bullpens without any issues.
It’s still pretty unlikely Jimenez returns after such a long layoff and makes a significant impact this season. However, this update is more about the story. It would be awesome to see him pitching in the majors again next year, even if he isn’t donning a tomahawk across his chest.
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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)