Braves Shuffle Rotation, Lopez to Bullpen

0:00On April 27, the Atlanta Braves, sitting pretty at 20 wins and nine losses for the best record in baseball, are shuffling their starting. Rotation? Now that they've got some extra arms. Spencer Strider is on the verge of coming back from an oblique injury, so they're sliding Ronaldo Lopez into the bullpen for a bit. Manager Walt Wise broke the news after Lopez's rough outing last Tuesday against the nationals, where he couldn't make it out of the second inning. Wise says it's just short term so Lopez can work on his delivery and shake off some rest. Lopez was their number two starter out of spring training, and they still see him as a long-term piece in the rotation. But with the team's depth, he's got room to tweak things without hurting the lineup right now. Fans and analysts are buzzing about how this keeps the Braves flexible amid their hot streak. The rotation's posting a sharp 3.12 earned run average overall, even if some deeper stats raise eyebrows. Lopez's own 3.74 mark is solid, but his velocity is down from last year's peak, and

1:00he's dealing with strikeouts and walks that aren't elite. Looking ahead, Martin Perez, J.R. Richie, and Bryce Elder are set for the Tiger Series starting Tuesday. Grant Holmes likely takes Friday against the Rockies, with Chris Sale slotted for the weekend depending on Strider's rehab progress he just threw. 82 pitches in his latest outing. This move gives Atlanta multi-ending relief options and insurance if starters get chased early, letting Lopez rebuild while the team keeps rolling. Strong. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, Driven by AI, I'm Corey with The Story.