Atlanta reliever Robert Suarez returned Wednesday against Cincinnati after elbow discomfort sidelined him since June 19, giving up one run in an inning. Atlanta expects to use him Saturday in Miami for a final evaluation before setting the postseason roster.
Suarez's fastball averaged 98.6 mph in his return, close to his 98.8 mph pre-injury average. Manager Walt Weiss praised his arm strength and said his command was probably not pinpoint, though still pretty good. Before the elbow discomfort, Suarez had a 0.56 ERA in 31 appearances, with four saves and 12 holds.
Suarez said he feels healthy and wants to stay near the strike zone and avoid walks. Atlanta signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract to work alongside Raisel Iglesias in the late innings.
