Braves Managing Robert Suarez as He Deals with Soreness

The Atlanta Braves are looking to ensure a potential ailment doesn't become a bigger issue. Manager Walt Weiss said that setup man Robert Suarez was unavailable for Tuesday night's loss against the San Diego Padres due to soreness and arm fatigue.

He was missing in action when the Braves opted to have Dylan Lee pitch the eighth inning and had him cover four outs. The decision to have Suarez sit out the game was made ahead of first pitch and has been dealing with it for the past few days.

The right-hander last pitched on June 19, during the Braves' series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Whether or not he's available for the series finale on Wednesday will be determined by how he feels ahead of the game.

"We've done this with guys earlier in the year, and they come in sore, you give them a couple extra days and they get over it, and he's obviously very valuable. So, we want to make sure he's right before sending him back out there."

The Braves have had to navigate being without one of their most important arms in the bullpen. He can come in to cover the middle innings, and he's closed out games as well. His ability to wear multiple hats has given the Weiss flexibility for how he uses the bullpen.

So far, Suarez has managed to out do his back-to-back All-Star seasons that he had with the Padres. He currently has a 0.56 ERA and an 0.84 WHIP. He's allowed two runs all season, with the last one being allowed on May 22.

Being without him is just another issue thrown on top of the pile. During this swoon in the June, injuries have already pushed the struggling Braves further between a rock and a hard place.

They're starting to reach the point where they could use another lifeline - not another gut punch.

Due to the nature of the Braves' recent struggles, the workload hasn't necessarily been an issue for Suarez. Yet, here they are. At least they feel they have a chance to nip it in the bud.

"Over the course of the season, sometimes, these things just creep up on you," Weiss said. "And you got to take care of it before it becomes an issue."

The Braves lost on a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th to the San Diego Padres, 7-6. They started off with an early 4-0 lead, but they watched it become a tight game again in a hurry. Carlos Carrasco and Raisel Igelsias were utitlized out of the bullpen alongside Lee.

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