Braves: Ian Anderson set to return this weekend

As the calendar approaches September, the Braves are set to be the healthiest they’ve been all season — outside of Ronald Acuna, of course. Eddie Rosario was just called up to the active roster after dealing with an abdominal strain that has kept him out since the All-Star break, and he’s not alone. Ian Anderson, who has also been out since the All-Star break, is set to return this Sunday against the Giants.

As expected, Huascar Ynoa will start Saturday and Ian Anderson comes off IL to start Sunday’s series finale vs. Giants.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 27, 2021

After lighting the world on fire in his first taste of professional baseball last season, Anderson came into 2021 with high expectations, and he hasn’t disappointed. Through 18 starts before hitting the IL, he posted a 3.56 ERA and was arguably the Braves most consistent rotation piece.

We’ll see if he can hit the ground running in his return, but if his performance in the minors is any indication, he shouldn’t miss a beat. Over his last two starts, Anderson has 15 strikeouts while allowing just one run in 9.1 innings. I’m also interested to see who gets booted from the rotation. The Braves could opt to use a six-man rotation for a few turns, but eventually, someone will have to be moved to the bullpen.