López's (left knee inflammation) MRI shows no structural damage

Right-hander not expected to miss much time on IL

August 2nd, 2026

ATLANTA -- suffered what may have been the oddest of the long list of injuries suffered by Braves starting pitchers this year. But it doesn’t appear to be a significant ailment.

An MRI exam of López’s left knee showed no structural damage, Braves manager Walt Weiss said after a 4-2 win over the Nationals on Sunday. Weiss expects the veteran pitcher will miss minimal time.

López was placed on the injured list on Sunday with left knee inflammation. The move was made retroactive to July 30. So, the right-hander could rejoin Atlanta’s rotation as early as Aug. 15.

López was scratched from Saturday night’s scheduled start approximately 50 minutes before the first pitch against the Nationals at Truist Park. He felt discomfort while going through his normal pre-start preparations.

Weiss said he doesn’t know what López was specifically doing when he felt the discomfort.