Prior to their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen suffered a significant blow after Jackson Stephens’ injury during the first game of the series.
Fortunately, Atlanta’s bullpen has a ton of depth, so they should be able to weather this loss over the coming weeks. With a 3.28 ERA as a group, the Braves’ relievers rank eighth in the Major League Baseball.
Before receiving proper medical attention, the team mentioned right-hander Jackson Stephens as a temporary replacement for Eric Cole.
“Talking about Jackson Stephens, he’s back,” Cole remarked. “Stephens serves as the Braves’ emergency bench reliever, coming off the bench when someone gets hurt.
He also had a similar position in 2023, pitching five times with a very respectable 3.00 ERA. This season, Stephens has made a few appearances in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he has shown relatively comparable run prevention statistics. However, in a limited sample size, he has struck out more often, rising to 12.5 K/9.
For Stephens, these upcoming games will be an audition. He might be able to convince people that he belongs on the 40-man roster indefinitely if he can routinely overwhelm opponents.
Additionally, on Friday, the Braves acquired right-hander Jimmy Herget in a deal with the Los Angeles Angels. The 30-year-old, who has made 121 appearances and has a 3.47 career ERA, could also improve their depth.
Perdomo’s delayed comeback, meanwhile, is a long-term annoyance rather than a major setback. Since the southpaw hasn’t yet thrown a pitch for the team, Atlanta hasn’t had much of an opportunity to see what it has in him.
With 48.2 innings pitched, the former Pittsburgh Pirate has a 5.55 lifetime ERA.
With a 20-10 record overall, the Braves are only half a game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East lead. Because of its fast start, the club has some breathing room even if the bullpen’s output somewhat declines while Johnson is out.
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