Braves Place Former All-Star Reliever On IL

After missing 17 months due to Tommy John surgery, he'd been back for about a month in the Atlanta Braves bullpen. Unfortunately, now former All-Star reliever Kirby Yates will have to miss time yet again.

#Braves placed reliever Kirby Yates on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation, and recalled rookie right-hander William Woods. Yates had his second Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2021, and missed nearly 17 months before he was activated in August.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) September 16, 2022

The Braves have placed Yates on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. It's an extremely frustrating development for the former MLB saves leader.  

Kirby Yates had an MRI that revealed the right elbow inflammation. He hopes the season isn’t lost, and doesn’t think it is. He felt like he’d been trending in the right direction, which makes this frustrating.

— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) September 17, 2022

As reported by Braves insider Justin Toscano, Yates felt like he'd been "trending in the right direction," and still hopes that he can return this season. 

He's pitched 7 innings while appearing in 9 games since coming back in August. He's surrendered 4 earned runs while striking out 6 and walking 5. Certainly not where he was in his All-Star 2019 season when he saved 41 games for the San Diego Padres. But better than the past two seasons, when he missed essentially all of 2020 and 2021. 

The 35-year-old hopes to be able to throw a couple of innings before the playoffs, but seeing as how strong the Braves' bullpen already is, it's unlikely they'd be able to provide a spot on the playoff roster for Yates at this point.

Photos: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports