As if the bullpen situation could get any worse, the Braves announced that Arodys Vizcaino underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
Arodys VizcaÃno Undergoes Right Shoulder Surgery: pic.twitter.com/WczMKkbM0X
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 17, 2019
This is a shoulder injury that dates back to last year and limited Viz to only 39 appearances. Despite that, Atlanta still opted to hold onto him through arbitration in hopes that he could come back healthy in 2019 without undergoing a significant procedure. They have been proven wrong.
Vizcaino had to take time off during Spring Training due to the injury and only appeared in four games for the Braves before hitting the 10-Day DL. Now the Braves will be without their top closing option for the rest of the year.
It’s unknown what the Braves plan to do at closer going forward. A.J. Minter has also dealt with a minor shoulder problem that caused him to miss the beginning of the season. Since his return, he has not looked like himself at all, and the rest of the bullpen has followed suit.
Luke Jackson has actually been the most reliable arm in the pen, and who knows how long that can last. The Braves have to acquire help, and do so quickly. This is not a situation that is going to get any better by sitting on their hands.