Key Atlanta Braves Reliever to Begin Injury Rehab Mission

The Atlanta Braves are in the midst of an impressive winning streak, with seven wins in their last eight games – and more help is on the way.

Atlanta appears poised to get key bullpen arm AJ Minter back following a left hip impingement that kept him sidelined for more than three weeks, while the left-handed reliever is out set to make a rehab appearance Saturday night for the High-A Rome Emperors, the Braves. announced Saturday morning.

Minter, 30, has started 25 games this season and has a 5-3 record. He posted a 2.95 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 21.1 innings while striking out 23 batters and walking only six others.

The 6-0, 215-pound Minter last appeared in Atlanta’s 7-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on May 29, throwing a hit and a walk to start a scoreless frame.

Now, Minter will return to the hill on Saturday – but the question remains: Will this be his only rehab outing?

“Yeah, I mean, it depends on (Braves president of baseball operations and general manager) Alex (Anthopoulos),” Minter said via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ll let him make that decision. See if it goes well first in Rome, and if he wants me to start another game, I will.

“It really depends on how I bounce back, how I feel.”

The injury, Minter said, affected his velocity and his fastball dropped from 95.8 miles per hour in 2023 to 94.9 this season. The Tyler, Texas native cited the inability to use his legs effectively due to a hip issue as the main reason for his decline in speed.

Minter is eyeing a return to form once he returns to Atlanta — but he hasn’t been given a definitive timetable for returning and won’t rush to return to the big league club, instead recognizing the bigger picture of his situation.

“It’s not a shoulder injury, it’s not a physical injury – it’s just about making sure we don’t rush, that way it won’t set me back and won’t end up being a serious injury,” Minter said. “It’s more about taking our time and doing all the right steps.”

And after several bullpen sessions, the next step takes Minter to Rome – but it remains to be seen where and when he will go next.