If you’re wondering why the Braves were relying on Carlos Carrasco to pitch not one but two innings in a one-run game Tuesday night, Walt Weiss said about half the bullpen was unavailable, including All-Star reliever Robert Suarez who is dealing with forearm tightness.

Suarez will play catch today to see how he’s feeling, but the alarm bells are understandably ringing loudly for a fan base that has watched star player after star player land on the Injured List.

Robert Suarez is dealing with right forearm soreness. He was unavailable tonight. He will play catch tomorrow to get a feel for when he might be available again

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2026

An argument could be made that Robert Suarez has been among the top five most valuable Braves this season — pretty rare for a reliever that is not the primary closer. In 31 appearances, he’s surrendered just two runs — good for a 0.56 ERA. Nearly every time he’s toed the rubber, the Braves have gone on to win the game.

Losing him for any amount of time would be detrimental for a club that’s already in a massive downswing. The Braves have lost three in a row and nine of their last twelve. Their once double-digit lead in the NL East is down to just 5.5 games with more than three months to play, and even more concerning, holes on the roster are beginning to show everywhere.

The one place that’s been consistently fantastic has been the bullpen, but that might not be the case for too much longer. It’s very apparent that first-year manager Walt Weiss overworked these guys early in the season. Seemingly on a nightly basis, several guys are unavailable. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in June, and it’s another significant concern moving forward.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)