Joe Jiménez could miss 2025 season after knee surgery

ATLANTA — Braves top setup man Joe Jiménez will miss most, if not all of the 2025 season, while recovering from knee surgery.

The Braves announced Jiménez is expected to miss 8-12 months after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee. Dr. Brian Cole performed the procedure on Oct. 29 in Chicago.

Jiménez’s knee damage was a product of normal wear and tear over the course of his career. The 29-year-old reliever posted a 2.62 ERA while setting career highs in appearances (69) and innings pitched (68 2/3). He ranked eighth among all MLB relievers with a .248 Expected Weighted On-Base Average.

The Braves signed Jiménez to a three-year, $26 million deal last year. He is set to make $9 million in both 2025 and 2026.

Knowing Jiménez will miss at least a significant part of next year, the Braves may now add a high-leverage reliever to their list of offseason needs. The relief corps’ depth was damaged in August when current free agent A.J. Minter underwent season-ending left hip surgery.

Even if the Braves re-sign Minter, they may want to add experience to their bullpen. Pierce Johnson currently stands as the only proven setup option for closer Raisel Iglesias. Dylan Lee, Grant Holmes and Daysbel Hernández are other top internal candidates to begin next season in Atlanta’s bullpen.