Braves Reliever Reflects on Return After Long-Awaited Comeback
· Yahoo Sports
Robert Suarez didn't need Wednesday's return to be perfect. After spending more than three months away from a major-league mound, the Atlanta Braves reliever was just worried about getting back on the bump and feeling healthy again.
That was the message Suarez delivered after making his first appearance since June 19. With the Braves preparing for the postseason, his next outing in Miami could carry considerably more weight than the first one.
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"I'm grateful for the opportunity that team's given me, thankful for the process that went down during the rehabilitation," Suarez told reporters, via Braves Vision. "Thankfully, I feel good and I'm feeling healthy, which I think is the important thing."
There is still some work to do before Atlanta knows exactly what it can expect from the right-hander in October.
Suarez's first appearance against Cincinnati offered a pretty good reminder of what makes him valuable, even if it wasn't entirely smooth. Matt McLain opened the seventh inning with a triple off Suarez's first-pitch sinker, then scored on a Will Banfield sacrifice fly. Suarez recovered to retire the next three hitters, limiting the damage to one run in an eventual 3-2 Braves walk-off victory.
For a reliever who hadn't faced major-league hitters since June, getting through the inning mattered. His fastball averaged 98.6 mph, nearly matching the 98.8 mph he averaged before the injury.
Braves manager Walt Weiss was encouraged by the right-hander's return.
“His arm strength was great,” he said via MLB.com's Mark Bowman. “His command was probably not pinpoint, but still pretty good. It was great to see him out there again.”
That distinction is important heading into Saturday's expected appearance in Miami. Suarez acknowledged that he wants to stay around the strike zone and avoid giving away free passes, particularly after the triple and ensuing run in his return.
"Just be around the zone, no free passes, no walks," Suarez said. "Obviously, I gave up that hit that turned into a run. But other than that, as long as I can stay around the zone and not give up any walks, we're good with that."
The Braves have reason to be encouraged by his return. Before the elbow discomfort sidelined him, Suarez posted a 0.56 ERA across 31 appearances, recording four saves and 12 holds. Atlanta signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract to work alongside Raisel Iglesias in the late innings, and he was doing exactly that before the injury interrupted his season.
Now the question is how quickly he can get back to handling those situations.
Suarez explained that his confidence hasn't changed and that maintaining the right mentality is what matters as he tries to help Atlanta win. According to Bowman, Weiss said the Braves expect to use the reliever on Saturday in Miami for one final opportunity to evaluate him before setting their postseason roster.
That leaves Suarez with a fairly straightforward assignment as the Braves finish the regular season against the Marlins. Get another inning under his belt and find his command to give Atlanta a clearer picture of what they can count on as the calendar turns to October.