The Atlanta Braves went through June without one of their top bullpen pitchers. Despite this, the Braves’ bullpen stepped up, achieving the fourth-best ERA for the month, though they were stretched thin with few off days and doubleheaders. Fortunately, the team announced A.J. Minter’s return from the Injured List on Monday, providing not just a fresh arm but a dominant one.
To make space for Minter on the active roster, the club sent one of Saturday’s heroes, Daysbel Hernandez, back to Gwinnett.
How A.J. Minter’s Return Strengthens the Braves’ Bullpen
Before his hip injury, Minter had a peculiar season. Despite a respectable 2.95 ERA, his strikeouts were slightly down, and he was struggling with home runs. Prior to 2024, Minter’s worst HR/9 rate was 0.92 in 2019, but this season it had jumped to 2.11. He particularly struggled in the 9th inning, with a 13.50 ERA over five outings compared to a 2.37 ERA in other innings. His hip injury likely contributed to his uncharacteristically mediocre May performance.
The Braves were cautious with Minter’s return, allowing him two weeks to heal and two weeks for rehab. During his rehab assignment, the 30-year-old gave up one run in three innings. With a healthy Minter back, manager Brian Snitker now has three setup men to help distribute the bullpen workload, providing more rest for relievers Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, Joe Jimenez, and Raisel Iglesias, all of whom pitched in 10 games in June.
Although Daysbel Hernandez was the roster casualty, the righty reliever is likely the next call-up when the Braves need another reliever. The 27-year-old has not allowed a run in 9.2 innings and boasts a 1.61 FIP.
