ATLANTA, GA - JULY 04: Sidelined Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Joe Jimenez in the dugout during the Saturday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets on July 4, 2026 at Truist Park in Atklanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves entered their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers trying to stabilize their position atop the National League East, but the timing of the matchup also provided a reminder of how much pitching depth can matter in October.
Atlanta held a slight divisional lead entering the series, despite enduring a harsh skid.
“Atlanta enters this series with a 3 1/2-game lead over the red-hot Phillies in the National League East,” Sonja Chen and Jacob Gurvis wrote for MLB.com. “Despite sitting a comfortable 21 games over .500, the Braves return home after a tough road trip — the club lost five of its first six games on its Midwest swing before winning the Little League Classic on Sunday, and has dropped seven of its last 10 games overall.”
While the Braves continue searching for answers that can help hold off the Phillies for the remainder of the regular season and potentially contribute to a postseason run, one organizational veteran is simply trying to return to the mound before he is forced to end his career.
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Though Jimenez is still a long shot to contribute to any Braves’ World Series aspirations this season, the update was a significant positive given the concerns over his 2024 injury setback.
“A couple months ago, Joe Jimenez didn’t know if he’d ever pitch again,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “He’s throwing bullpens now. Returning this year still seems unlikely. But he at least now has hope to continue his career.”
Jimenez appeared in both games of Atlanta's season-ending doubleheader in 2024 and helped the Braves secure a postseason berth. But the right-hander underwent knee surgery heading into the 2025 season and subsequently endured setbacks that kept him away from the mound far longer than initially hoped.
If he can get healthy, though, his return would be a significant boost for the Braves. He enjoyed a 2.62 ERA across 69 in 2024 and was named an All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 2018. But for now, he and the Braves are surely just hoping that his career will have another chapter ahead at some point.
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