Joe Jiménez could miss the 2025 season after knee surgery

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

The Braves announced that Jiménez is expected to be out eight to 12 months after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee. Dr. Brian Cole performed the procedure on October 29 in Chicago.

Jiménez's knee injury was a product of normal wear and tear throughout his career. The 29-year-old reliever posted a 2.62 ERA and set career highs in appearances (69) and innings pitched (68 2/3). His .248 expected weighted on-base average ranked eighth among all MLB relievers.

The Braves signed Jiménez to a three-year, $26 million contract last year. He is scheduled to earn $9 million in both 2025 and 2026.

Knowing that Jiménez will be out for at least a significant portion of next year, the Braves could now add a heavily indebted backup player to their offseason needs list. The depth of the relief corps was damaged in August when current free agent AJ Minter underwent season-ending surgery on his left hip.

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