Braves flamethrower expected to be ready for opening playoff series after returning from injury

The Atlanta Braves are starting to get some of their key players healthy as they prepare for the postseason. Before the injury bug hit the team in full force, the bullpen was arguably the most dominant part of the Braves' roster.

Atlanta lost a big piece a few months ago when flamethrowing setup man Robert Suarez went down with an injury. The injury occurred in June, and it didn’t seem to be as serious at first.

“The Braves placed setup man Robert Suarez on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 23, before tonight's series opener in San Francisco. He's dealing with forearm tightness," MLB Trade Rumors' Anthony Franco wrote.

However, it turned out to be a pretty significant injury, as Suarez would miss months of time. Over the last couple of weeks, he had been ramping up to make it back for the postseason. Suarez was activated earlier this week.

“The Braves announced they activated Robert Suarez, who is expected to pitch today. Owen Murphy was optioned to make room on the roster," SI's Harrison Smajovitts wrote.

Atlanta used this week to see if Suarez would be ready for the playoffs after only being back for less than a week. He did allow a run in each outing, but everything seemed to be like it was before the injury. Suarez is ready for the playoffs, and the Braves hope he can have the same success he did before he was injured.

“As for Suarez, he was one of the game’s best relievers for this season’s first 2 1/2 months. Now that he’s shaken off the rust, the Braves can only hope he proves to be the same during the postseason,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote.

This is a huge get for Atlanta, as the starting rotation took a massive hit by losing Martin Perez for at least the opening series of the playoffs. With a short-staffed rotation, the Braves will rely heavily on the bullpen this October.

It is still unknown exactly who the team will face, but Atlanta will be rocking no matter the opponent. Suarez and the entire bullpen are ready to show out. Getting the flamethrower back at the perfect time is going to be huge for the Braves.

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