Hamels (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hamels had been dealing with a shoulder issue that dates back to an offseason workout. He indicated that he would have been on schedule to pitch by late May but stretched out his rehab schedule due to the delayed season. Friday's bullpen session was his third as he works his way back into game shape. He's expected to be used cautiously in his first few starts of the year, but he is expected to be on the Opening Day roster.

The Braves intend to have Hamels on the Opening Day roster but will proceed cautiously with the starter, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

General manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters Wednesday that Hamels should be on the roster for the July 23/24 opener. However, Anthopolous' statement comes with some caveats. O'Brien says that the team will be cautious with Hamels, and Mark Bowman of MLB.com notes that Hamels and the rest of the Braves starters will likely only go 3-to-4 innings in their first start or two of the regular season. Rosters will be expanded early on and the extra relievers will help make up the difference until workload restrictions are eased.

Hamels (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the start of the 2020 season, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

After inking a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta, Hamels "irritated" his throwing shoulder during an offseason workout. That took the original Opening Day off the table, but GM Alex Anthopoulos said Wednesday that Hamels is feeling good after the extended layoff and will get back onto a mound later this week to begin ramping up for the "new" July 23/24 Opening Day. The 36-year-old Hamels missed a sizable chunk of last year with an oblique issue but showed that he can still perform at a high level when healthy.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos said Friday in an interview with broadcaster Chip Caray for the Braves' "At Home" special that Hamels (shoulder) is now feeling pain-free. "Under normal circumstances, he would've been going right now to get ready to start to prepare," Anthopoulos said of the lefty.

EDGE Analysis

Had the regular season started March 26 as originally scheduled, Hamels would have began his first campaign in Atlanta on the injured list, but it now looks as though the veteran may be ready to go when the league-wide hiatus ends. While Hamels continues to conduct his rehab at home, Anthopoulos' comments imply the southpaw is progressing through a throwing program and would likely be ready to face hitters by now. Assuming Hamels is ready to go when the season resumes, Sean Newcomb, Felix Hernandez and Kyle Wright will be left to battle for the fifth and final spot in the Atlanta rotation.

Manager Brian Snitker said there's no timetable for Hamels (shoulder) to resume throwing, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hamels reported to camp near the end of February but has yet to pick up a throwing program due to a shoulder issue he first experienced in January. The veteran left-hander was hoping to resume throwing in early March, but that no longer appears to be the case after he was recently re-evaluated. As such, it sounds like there's a good chance Hamels will miss all of April as he continues to work back to full health.

Hamels (shoulder) reported to camp Saturday but won't resume his throwing program for at least two more weeks, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. "At this point, if I rush, I think it would take me a lot longer to get to 100 percent," Hamels said. "I don't think that is fair to the team, and it's not fair to other starters who are champing at the bit to help the team win. It's about coming in and making sure I'm a big part as opposed to a small one."

EDGE Analysis

After inking a one-year deal with Atlanta in the offseason, Hamels developed shoulder irritation in January and has been shut down ever since. "It just kind of hit a point where I knew I couldn't get past it," he said. "Soreness is good, but you have to know what soreness is good and what is bad. It was just kind of getting away from that comforting feel of knowing you're pushing it, you're getting better and you're getting stronger. It was more toward that injury area." The delayed start to his spring will rule him out for an Opening Day rotation spot, but the team should have a more concrete target date for the veteran left-hander's 2020 debut once he gets re-evaluated in early March.

Hamels (shoulder) is expected to arrive at Atlanta's spring training facility later this week, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. "The reports [on his shoulder] are good," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "[Trainer George Poulis] has been talking to him and I think [the recovery] is going exactly how they had planned. That's good news. He'll be here sooner than later just to get him acclimated."

EDGE Analysis

The veteran southpaw still isn't likely to get clearance to begin a throwing program until early March and isn't being counted on as part of the Opening Day rotation, but Hamels may not end up missing too many turns if he continues to make progress from what's being described as shoulder "irritation." He made 27 starts for the Cubs last year, posting a 3.81 ERA, 4.08 FIP and 9.1 K/9 over 141.2 innings.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Wednesday that Hamels (shoulder) won't be back to full health for Opening Day, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

As was reported earlier Wednesday, Hamels will be shut down for the first three weeks of spring training after he experienced irritation in his left shoulder during a recent workout. Even if doctors clear Hamels to resume working out immediately after he's re-evaluated, Anthopoulos indicated the 36-year-old won't have enough time to complete his throwing program before the Braves open their season March 26 in Arizona. Hamels thus appears likely to begin the campaign on the 10-day injured list, though he may only have to miss a start or two if he avoids any setbacks with the shoulder once he's cleared to throw again.

Hamels "irritated" his throwing shoulder during an offseason workout and will be shut down for three weeks before being re-evaluated, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

The fact that Hamels -- who inked a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta over the winter -- is already hurt as spring training gets underway is concerning, though the team apparently doesn't believe the shoulder issue is a major one for the 36-year-old. Hamels is scheduled to visit a doctor in Dallas for more information about the injury, but at the very least, he'll be shut down through the end of February before he's able to begin his throwing program in earnest. The lefty should be ready to go for Opening Day if he's good to go after the three-week shutdown, but any further setbacks would make a stint on the injured list to begin the season a strong likelihood.

Hamels and the Braves agreed to a one-year, $18 million deal Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran lefty will be back in the division where he started his career for his age-36 season. He's not the pitcher he was at his peak, but he's remained a stable option, posting ERAs of 3.78 and 3.81 in the last two seasons while striking out 23.3 percent and 23.2 percent of batters. He'll settle in as a mid-rotation starter in a young Braves rotation.