A.J. Minter of the Braves will have hip surgery.

SAN FRANCISCO: For a homegrown player who loves so deeply about the team that selected him, it is tragic to think that A.J. Minter may have thrown his last pitch for the Atlanta Braves.

Minter requires surgery on his left hip next week, according to a statement made by Braves manager Brian Snitker on Wednesday. Minter saw a specialist for a follow-up assessment, and the examination indicated that an operation was required.

Whether Minter will return to the mound this season is still a mystery to the Braves.

“After the surgery, they’ll know,” Snitker stated. “But I don’t think they know what the extent will be until they do that and get in there.”

But it’s August 14 as of this writing. There are just 1.5 months left in this regular season. For example, if Minter were to return during the postseason, he would have to do so within about two months.

Minter’s left hip irritation, which put him on the 15-day disabled list in late May, was the reason Atlanta placed him on the list on Monday. He disclosed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the time that he was experiencing hip impingement. He believed that his treatment had cleared it up. He pitched after being taken off the injured list.

He did a good job. On July 3, following his release from the disabled list, he gave up three earned runs over 13

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He will now be undergoing surgery. The Braves will be able to officially announce when it’s finished and whether or not they anticipate having Minter pitch this season.

After the season, Minter will be a free agent.

Although the Braves have a good bullpen, Minter was an important member of the team. He is not only a leader but also one of Snitker’s late-inning alternatives.

Without him, the Braves will have to fight their way into the postseason.

Back home, Reynaldo Lopez will be a part of the rotation.

According to Snitker, Reynaldo Lopez will probably begin playing at home at the beginning of next week.

This appears to indicate that López will start the opening game of the series at Truist Park on Tuesday against the Phillies. He would have a full six days in between starts as a result.

López gave up three runs on six hits in four innings on Tuesday. 47 of his 71 pitches were strikes.

“He kind of amplified things a little bit after the first inning, which I watched a little bit on the computer,” Snitker remarked. “The guys who were on-site provided excellent reports, and the velocities were excellent as well.”

The fastball from Lopez topped 96.7 mph. Throughout his outing, it averaged 94.5 mph.