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Joe Jimenez suffers injury setback

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Braves have a slew of impact arms on the IL working their way back from injury, including the entire rotation. Most of them are unlikely to return this season, but one that did have a chance to recently suffered a setback.

Joe Jimenez underwent offseason knee surgery to remove some loose cartilage. The timeline for his return was initially 8-12 months, giving him a decent chance of appearing late in the season. About a month ago, he was seen throwing bullpens and looked to be on track to return around this time.

Unfortunately, according to Braves beat reporter Grant McAuley, that isn’t going to happen. Joe Jimenez started to feel some discomfort in his surgically repaired knee and has been shut down.

Joe Jiménez has been shut down from throwing down in Florida. He was dealing with discomfort in his surgically repaired knee. #Braves want to give that time to calm down and then reassess his timeline.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) August 5, 2025

It’s just another “pleasant surprise” in a season that keeps on giving. I’m not sure there is a team in the history of baseball that has been struck with more injuries over a two-year stretch. If there is, I would love to have a conversation with that fan base, because this has been an absolutely brutal run.

This situation should serve as a stark reminder for Alex Anthopoulos: Counting on a roster full of players returning from major injuries is a recipe for disaster. Maybe one or two make a positive impact in 2026, but the offseason approach has to assume most of these guys will contribute little, if anything at all. If the Braves don’t operate with that mindset this winter, next season’s results aren’t likely to look much different.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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