ATLANTA -- Coming off an up-and-down 2023 rookie campaign in which he flashed an electric arm, Luis Medina excited the A’s about his potential in year two as a big leaguer. That optimism took a devastating blow in Spring Training, when a freak injury while stepping off the mound during a Cactus League game on March 4 led to a Grade 2 sprain of the MCL in his right knee.

Medina worked diligently to get back for what is an important development season. Activated off the injured list for Sunday’s series finale against the Braves, the 25-year-old right-hander rejoined an ailing A’s starting rotation that is down four members from Opening Day and could use all the help it could get.

“We were excited about Medina’s future and the development process from what he accomplished last year,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “It’s a later start, but we’re excited for him to be part of this rotation now.”

Drawing a tough task in a potent Braves offense for his first Major League start since Sept. 28, 2023, Medina rose to the challenge in a 3-1 loss at Truist Park. He allowed just one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings, limiting Atlanta to two hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Medina's five-pitch arsenal -- fastball, curveball, sinker, slider, changeup -- was on display. He fired an electric fastball that maxed out at 97.6 mph and averaged 95.7 mph. A new wrinkle was his curveball, which was his second-most-thrown pitch at 22 times, marking his most ever thrown over a single outing. The curveball, which averaged 81.6 mph, complemented the fastball by providing a good variance of speeds and generated six of his 11 swings and misses.

“From the time I began warming up, I felt a better grip for the curveball,” Medina told MLB.com in Spanish. “I was able to execute the curve better than my other pitches, so I leaned on it and did my job.”

Atlanta’s lone run off Medina came in the first on a single by Matt Olson that scored Marcell Ozuna, who took second base on a passed ball earlier in the at-bat. After that, Medina did not allow another hit until Austin Riley's two-out bloop double in the sixth, finishing his outing by retiring 15 of his final 17 batters faced.

The knock on Medina during his rise as a top prospect was his command issues that at times hindered his effectiveness. Some of that was evident in his two recent rehab starts with Triple-A Las Vegas, as he walked three batters and hit another four in six innings.

On Sunday, Medina frequently got ahead in the count with first-pitch strikes to 13 of 21 batters faced and generally pounded the zone with 58 of his 89 pitches for strikes.

“It was a great outing,” Kotsay said. “For him to go in and throw strikes and command his pitches, he looked great out there. He looked comfortable.”

For Medina, baseball is not something he can ever take for granted. It was his avenue for a better life while growing up in Nagua, Dominican Republic. But after missing his longest stretch of games due to injury at any level of professional baseball, Medina felt a bit extra grateful as he slowly walked onto the mound at Truist Park, picking up the ball and firing a 95 mph fastball to catcher Kyle McCann to begin his outing. He was reacquainted with the game he loves, and now he’ll get a chance to establish himself as a Major League starter.

“I felt like a kid with a new toy to play with,” Medina said. “I was really happy to be back with the team and do what I’ve always done, and that’s pitch. I feel good and healthy.”

It was a tough end to a six-game road trip through Tampa Bay and Atlanta in which they went 2-4. The fight shown over the stretch, though, which featured a pair of one-run losses and two-run losses, was a positive for Kotsay as his rebuilding club returns home for six games against the Mariners and Blue Jays.

“We had a chance to win all six games,” Kotsay said. “You can’t really ask for anything more than that. In Tampa, a few plays go our way and we’re probably 4-2 at the worst. … Overall, I know it’s a 2-4 road trip, but we were competitive and had a chance to win every game, and that’s our goal right now.”