Robert Suarez is back from the Injured List

The Atlanta Braves (who are, were, and ever shall be National League East Division Champions) have made a roster move before they entertain the Cincinnati Reds for an exhibition of baseball tonight.

Robert Suarez, who had been away since June 26th with right elbow inflammation, has been reinstated from the 60-day Injured List. Honestly, it’s felt like longer. Suarez pitched 32 innings of 0.56/2.44/3.40 ball while holding down the eighth inning plus a smidge of other high leverage spots. The Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers have completed their season, so why not have Robert Suarez complete his playoff preparations in Atlanta?

Owen Murphy will be departing (aka optioned to a team that finished the season already) with 5 and 1/3 lesson-earning innings during this most recent stint. He ends this season with a 3.61/4.69/5.08 line in 117 and 1/3 innings in Gwinnett plus another 12 innings in Atlanta. He ought to be in the mix next season as a starting pitching option.

Mark Bowman feels Suarez will make an appearance tonight and possibly one more before the regular season has completed. Didier Fuentes has assumed the role for high-leverage multiple inning guy and primary setup man. I don’t know that the addition of Suarez will push him to the side. Didier has accumulated 2.3 WAR and 92 strikeouts in 72 and 1/3 innings. But the playoffs will necessitate taking each plate appearance seriously, and Robert will definitely allow them to do so. The back end of the Braves bullpen will feature Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, Didier Fuentes, and Raisel Iglesias, with wild man Victor Mederos and Ray Kerr catching the leftovers. Mercy.