AJ Smith-Shawver’s return to the Braves is imminent, but in what capacity?

ATLANTA — AJ Smith-Shawver is lined up to start Sunday for the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, but he isn’t listed as the probable pitcher. There’s a chance the next time he toes the rubber, it’ll be at the major-league level.

“He’s going to be someone here in the near future that’s going to help us,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Wednesday after Smith-Shawver threw 95 pitches the day before.

On July 29, Smith-Shawver made his first MLB start since he had Tommy John surgery last year. As the extra player added to Atlanta’s roster for its doubleheader against the New York Mets in late July, Smith-Shawver, 23, went 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four batters. He threw 69 pitches, and his fastball averaged 97 mph.

He was optioned to Triple A after the game and has made two starts for Gwinnett, where he’s totaled 11 innings with 13 strikeouts.

The Braves see Smith-Shawver as a contributor on their roster for the remainder of the season and beyond, but there is a bit of a crunch. He’s mainly pitched as a starter in the majors, but with the Braves’ starting rotation sporting a 2.68 ERA since the All-Star break — the best in baseball — it’ll be tough for him to slide in.

The bullpen appears to be a more feasible option, and given he spent so much time sidelined, it would help him regain the feeling of facing major-league hitting. Still, if he is brought up this week, barring an injury, someone will need to go down.

If the Braves go in that direction, Victor Mederos seems like a reasonable option to be demoted to Triple A since he has options left.

That’s just one piece of the puzzle for the Braves’ pitching staff. Reynaldo López, who is eligible to return from the injured list, threw a bullpen session Tuesday and said his command and physical shape felt good. Manager Walt Weiss and López said they felt his stint on the IL, prompted by left knee inflammation, would be short. When he returns, another roster move will need to be made.

“Those are things we have to think about,” Weiss said. “But he’s at the point where he’s in play now, and obviously a talented arm. So I’m looking for ways to make that work.”