NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Reynaldo López might end up being valuable as both a starter and a reliever while filling these roles during different stretches this year. The Braves just have to decide whether he will begin the season in the rotation or in the bullpen.

López has spent the past two seasons proving he can be a dependable high-leverage reliever. But as he navigated his way through some trouble in a 5-1 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday, he showed why there are some who think he can be equally valuable as a starter, even if he can’t physically fill that role for the entirety of the upcoming season.

“We’re just going to continue to evaluate and see where we’re at,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

López cruised through his first three appearances this spring and then finally encountered some trouble while attempting to pitch around three hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings against the Pirates on Tuesday. The Braves new right-hander labored through the second inning and then retired each of the final six batters he faced.

“It was just one of those days where you don’t feel right and you just have to fight,” López said. “My fastball wasn’t good and my slider wasn’t good. I just let it out and let the position players get some work.”

The results weren’t as rough as the self-assessment. Oneil Cruz’s leadoff home run accounted for the only run scored against López. But not much came easy for the Braves' hurler, who tallied just two strikeouts. His four-seam fastball averaged 94.2 mph and topped out at 95.7 mph.

This velocity was similar to what he produced in 2019, his most recent full season as a starter. His four-seamer averaged 95.4 mph that season. This same pitch averaged 98.2 mph when he worked out of the bullpen last year.

Spencer Strider has shown it is possible to be a successful starter while maintaining the aggressiveness and approach of a hard-throwing reliever. López will follow that lead. His fastball averaged 95.7 mph and touched 97.1 mph during his March 2 appearance against the Blue Jays.

“There’s going to be those days, especially around this time of camp,” Snitker said. “Their legs are going to be heavy. All pitchers go through this during Spring Training. It’s part of getting in shape.”

It didn’t take López long to realize he didn’t have his best stuff. His fastball didn’t get above 95.1 mph in the first inning. Cruz hit his opposite-field homer against an elevated 94.2 mph fastball.

López issued consecutive walks to begin the second inning and then surrendered a single that loaded the bases with none out. It looked like he might escape on his own when catcher Sean Murphy coupled a Jason Delay strikeout with a pickoff of Nick Gonzalez at first base. But with López's pitch count mounting, the Braves removed López after he walked Cruz.

The re-entry rule allowed López to return in the third inning. He retired each of the next six batters and gave the Braves reason to look forward to his next start.

“I like when they get in a little trouble and they’ve got to extend themselves a little bit and make pitches,” Snitker said. “He got through four innings, which is really good.”

López and Bryce Elder are battling for the fifth spot in a rotation that will include Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Chris Sale. There will be some workload limits for Sale and López. Neither has spent an entire season as a starter since 2019.

The Braves are evaluating their many options. But Snitker said they haven’t discussed the possibility of having Sale and López piggyback off each other during the early part of the season to reduce both of their workloads.

So, López needs to spend these final two weeks of Spring Training prepping to enter the season as a starter without any restrictions. The Braves could always decide to move him to the relief role. But once that move is made, there would be concern about having him stretch out again.

López will likely make at least two more starts before the Braves make a final decision.

“Today was a big challenge,” López said. “I just tried to do my best.”