Hours before he was scheduled to start Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday, Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher Huascar Ynoa was scratched due to shoulder inflammation.
The Braves moved reliever Jesse Chavez into the starter’s role against the Los Angeles Dodgers and received approval to replace Ynoa with lefty Dylan Lee on their NLCS roster.
That swap means Ynoa also is ineligible to rejoin Atlanta’s active roster for the World Series, should the club make it there.
Ynoa, 23, went 4-6 with a 4.05 ERA in his first full regular season as a starter for Atlanta. He had 100 strikeouts against 25 walks in 91 innings over 18 appearances (17 starts). His only appearance this postseason came in one inning of relief in Game 4 of the NL Divisional Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning.
Lee, meanwhile, made his major-league debut earlier this year and has pitched only two innings for Atlanta.
Chavez will start Wednesday opposite the Dodgers’ Julio Urias. Chavez, 38, started four games among 30 appearances during the regular season and went 3-2 with a 2.14 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 11 walks.
The Braves planned for Game 4 to be a bullpen game, even before Ynoa was scratched, so Chavez likely will work only a few innings at most.
Atlanta leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 over Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media