Braves writer says $26M All-Star veteran may end career after latest injury announcement

The Atlanta Braves are gearing up for a much-improved season after a disappointing 2025 campaign. Atlanta is hoping for a healthier year, which would benefit them greatly after the struggles of last season. However, the team has already announced that reliever Joe Jimenez will start the season injured.

“As for the loss of Jimenez, the Braves have added significant bullpen depth this off-season, with Robert Suarez being a marquee free agent signing to go along with depth options like Ian Hamilton, Joel Payamps and possible comeback option James Karinchak. The team brought back closer Raisel Iglesias and reliever Tyler Kinley. Jimenez is in the last year of a three-year contract he signed prior to the 2024 season,” Batter Power’s DJourn wrote.

This isn’t a good sign for the reliever, as he already missed all of last season with injuries.

“Joe Jimenez was shut down from throwing last week due to renewed soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. This seemed like a major obstacle to Jimenez’s chances of returning to action before the end of the 2025 season, and Braves manager Brian Snitker confirmed today to reporters (including Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that Jimenez indeed won’t be back in action this year,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Mark Polishuk wrote.

Braves writer Scott Coleman didn’t hold back on Jimenez, believing this could be the end of the line for the veteran.

“Joe Jimenez had the first knee surgery in November 2024, so roughly 15 months ago. Very earliest he’d be back is late May. Better chance his career is over than ever throwing an impact pitch again, IMO,” Coleman wrote.

It is never easy to come back from injuries, but Jimenez is still at a respectable age to try to get his career back on track. However, Coleman doesn’t believe there is any realistic chance of a successful return.

The Braves are already starting to become thin in their pitching staff, so the hope remains that Jimenez can come back. Coming off a season lost entirely to injuries, this early setback is not a good sign for Atlanta.

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