Between games of today’s doubleheader against the Phillies, the Braves placed right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain. Righty Michael Petersen has been recalled to take his place on the active roster.
Smith-Shawver started the first game the twin bill today but departed in the third inning. There was some initial speculation he had sustained a foot injury since he had been hit by a comebacker in the game, but it’s now clear that it’s a more ominous elbow injury. Per Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the righty felt a pop in his elbow and is now going back to Atlanta for testing. Those tests will reveal more information but manager Brian Snitker says that “it doesn’t look good.”
More concrete information will surely be forthcoming after Smith-Shawver visits with the medical experts but it seems fair to wonder about the worst-case situation in this scenario. The specter of a notable surgery is always looming when a pitcher’s elbow is in the spotlight and the omens seem particularly gloomy in this case. Even if Smith-Shawver can avoid the scalpel, a notable absence of some kind could still be a possibility.
Prior to this injury, Smith-Shawver seemed to be putting a bit of a breakout together. He came into this season with just 29 2/3 innings of major league experience. Before today’s truncated outing, he had added 41 2/3 innings over eight starts this year. He has allowed 3.67 earned runs per nine in those with a 22.7% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate. He seemed to be in the process of establishing himself as a bonafide big league starter but that will be put on hold now, potentially for an extended amount of time.
For the club, they will have to figure out how to fill that rotation spot. Reynaldo López is out due to arthroscopic shoulder surgery and is still a few months away from a potential return. Four spots are currently held by Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Grant Holmes.
Per Bowman, Bryce Elder is likely to come up and take over for Smith-Shawver. Elder has a 4.50 ERA in eight starts for Atlanta this year. They could also kick that decision down the road a bit. They have Sale going in tonight’s game, followed by Holmes, Schwellenbach and Strider in their weekend series against the Red Sox. They are off on Monday and could therefore go back to Sale on regular rest on Tuesday. That would mean Elder wouldn’t be needed until next weekend, though they could also call him up early next week and push everyone back a day.
Assuming Elder holds a rotation spot for a while, the club’s top depth options will likely now be Hurston Waldrep, Nathan Wiles and Davis Daniel. All three of them are on the 40-man roster and pitching in Triple-A.
Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images
Perfect. Fire sale and end this miserable garbage they call team
And start with Olson, followed by the miserable GM who let Freddie Freeman walk.
This team’s problem extends beyond not bringing back Freeman. Regardless, I couldn’t careless about this season at this point. Just looking forward to them trading Albies. Just can’t stand how terrible he is at everything other than running from 1st to 3rd/home.
For someone who “couldn’t careless” you sure seem animated in your dissatisfaction.
Coming into this season Ozzie gave them 22 WAR for a career $24M. Not to mention being a standup guy. He’s frustrating at times, no doubt. Seems to be coming around. Two $7M option years. He’s probably not going anywhere, though he could eventually. Who knows?
@TradeAcuna: Yeah that was a “terrible ” 2 run homer Albies just hit off Wheeler to extend his “terrible” 13 game hitting streak. You’ve never gotten over your days of NoMadBumNoNLCS garbage. Turned you into a Braves hater masquerading as a Braves fan. Worst thing that ever happened to you was the Braves winning the 2021 WS w/out your idiotic trade crush MadBum. What hurt the most for you? MadBum being dfa out of the league a couple of years into his contract w/Arizona or the being so wrong about everything?
Look at you running in here all strong and mighty after a useless home run. Albies problem is exactly that… he tries to hit homers every at bat, which translate into his horrific obp. When he gets on base, he is terrible at stealing bases and/or doesn’t attempt to when he should. You defending this terrible player won’t change the facts.
The fact is that he’s a steal at his current AAV. The other fact is that you are relentless troll that is basically always off base. Get a life.
Actually I would say Albies tries to do the exact opposite at the plate a large amount of the time. He seems to be fine just putting the ball in play (often a lazy fly out on a pitch he shouldn’t have swung at). But it’s part of his approach. He shows an eye at times and other times he’s overly aggressive. It is what it is. Overall he’s fine. Just streaky.
And he is certainly not very bad at stealing bases. He actually almost never gets caught.
It’s time people realize Freddie let himself walk. He’s making less in LA than what he would have made in Atlanta but some people just don’t understand that
It is pretty crazy that the Braves allowed Freeman to walk all because they wouldn’t tack on ONE extra year to the offer they made him. He’s making them look foolish for it, as he is aging like fine wine. Even with a bad ankle, he is still one of the best hitters in baseball.
Well said!
Freddie tried to play chicken with an MLB GM even when the Braves offered him more money than the Dodgers did. He fired his agent a few months later. Olson also isn’t the reason the Braves are underachieving. Has been as good as Freddie? No. But he’s been pretty damn good. I encourage you to read this article that uses plenty of statistics and analytics that tells the full story of what’s actually been happening this season. batterypower.com/2025/5/28/24438165/baseball-wont-…
@TradeAcuna: “Perfect.” What a scumbag comment from a ——scumbag. I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d take pleasure in Smith-Shawver’s injury.
I’m a huge Freddie fan. That move won’t look good until the end of the contract. The Dodgers clearly are unconcerned with the value at the end of their contracts.
I’m a huge Freddie fan too. Wish he was still on Braves, even if I also really like Olson. But that doesn’t absolve Freddie from the part he played in that whole mess. Should AA have handled it differently? Sure. But Freddie should’ve too. Chipper warned him not to play Russian Roulette with AA
You are exactly right, it was all on Freddy, he blames it on his agent, but Freddy had the final vote. I think Freddy is happy now, but when the Dodgers come to town, I’m one of the ones booing whenever his name is mentioned.
gotta wonder if FF or Shady Agent or Both let him walk.
Not a false assertion at all. It’s exactly what happened. If the Braves had offered him one more year, he would have returned.
Olson is incredible that would be crazy.
He’s probably done for the year.
Thanx Doc!
I know that there are some really solid Braves fans on here. Perhaps they will show up later. ; )
Tough luck for AJSS – the kid was looking like a keeper. The hardest thing to do in baseball is keep a pitcher healthy.
If anyone was watching the Phillies broadcast, it was Strider who alerted Snit and the trainer to get him out of there. Because we know Snitker doesnt usually watch
Strider is paying very close attention out there in order to avoid any potential incoming return fire.
Next to impossible
I get that it’s a doubleheader and you wanna give the team innings but if your elbow is bothering you, you need to make it well known instead of pitching until you hear a “pop”. I feel bad for the guy but it’s reminiscent of Strider not being upfront about some things and ending up needing surgery after trying to pitch through it (assuming it was no big deal). If he did let them know then there is no excuse to leave him in.
@CarverAndrews: Hated to see it, but it looks like Wheeler just returned “that fire” by breaking Nick Allen’s hand w/a hbp. Going to be a terrible thing to see if this turns into an idiotic beanball war because of an unintentional hbp by Strider. Poor command and control by him since his return from TJS, but he doesn’t throw at hitters on purpose.
Jeff,
I’m sitting here watching tonight’s Phillies-Braves game, and the only HBP was Chris Sale hitting Trea Turner on the back foot. It was obviously unintentional.
Nick Allen was hit on his hand while taking a full swing. It was a swinging strike and not a HBP; and whatever we call it, it was unintentional.
I watched all three games of the series, and nothing resembling a beanball war is taking place. Phillies pitchers don’t retaliate. It’s not Rob Thomson’s style.
Agreed there is nothing resembling a beanball war. But regardless of whether he swung or not the ball was well in off the plate and he did not take a “full swing”. That said Nick Allen is up on the plate. Idk why they let him stay in. He’s obviously gonna have to come out. 97 on the fingers of your throwing hand.
@Nashville and Bart – Bart has the correct take. And yes, the Phils don’t retaliate and there are times that it drives me crazy as I am old school with the game. I don’t believe in beanball wars; throwing at a guy’s head or throwing at the idiots that celebrate uneventful home runs as if they won the World Series.
But I do believe in measured retaliation when necessary, occasionally knocking a guy down and protecting your teammates. I watched the replay of Strider hitting Bryce a half dozen times and there is little doubt in my mind that he was throwing at him and that pisses me off. His wind and his delivery and follow through were aimed about a foot and a half inside. So Spencer is on the the list – it sucks that pitchers don’t have to hit anymore as I would have dusted him – and frankly he comes across as a bit of an ahole.
You’re right Bart. looked like Wheeler lost control when trying to jam Allen w/a fb. I commented before i saw the replay of that Allen swing. Good to know that about Thomson. I know Snitker has made comments in the same vein. Both understand that pitchers have to throw inside and that unintentional hbp happens sometimes. I did see a replay of Reuben Amaro on the Phillies after game show Tuesday night saying that there had to be “retribution” for Strider’s hbp of Harper. Totally uncalled for.
@Carver: I think you’re letting your Phils fandom get the best of you in your assessment of the Strider hbp. He’s returning this season from TJS. He’s also just in his 2nd start back from another month on the IL for a hamstring injury. His command/control haven’t been at all sharp in his 3 starts this year. He doesn’t head hunt. Just trying to pitch inside off the plate to a dangerous hitter. Harper gets pitched inside w/fb’s and hard sliders by a lot of pitchers. Do you assume that Wheeler’s throwing at hitters when he does the same thing? If you were really watching that entire sequence, it should have been apparent to you that Strider was upset that he lost the pitch and hit Harper. Imo, it was totally unintentional.
Reuben Amaro, Jr. is a tv color analyst. He’s on the entertainment side of the Phillies organization, and not the management side.
Yeah, I know that Bart. I’ve seen him on MLBtv quite a few times in the last couple of years too. They should run that standard disclaimer underneath his commentary……………”The comments of this analyst are his own and in no way reflect the positions of management.”
@nashville – with respect, stop with your assumptions as to my take on things. I understand the game relatively well; played it for approaching 40 years; coached and managed as well. And I rarely jump to a conclusion that someone is throwing at a hitter anymore as it is relatively rare compared to yesteryear.
I certainly cannot say with 100% conviction that he threw at Bryce, but the tape was revealing. And if he did, he would have reacted the same way. – show his upset to avoid escalation – just as the league mandates that everyone is to tone it all down. Hit a guy – never admit it, and even the opposing side massages the narrative to give off the proper message. There are not many Roger Clemens left in the game, or Bob Gibson’s for that matter.
You have your take on things and that is fine – I am not trying to change anyone’s mind. But stop with assertions that I must not know what I am seeing out there due to fan-colored glasses.
X-rays on Allen were negative.
For anyone not understanding my comment about Smith Shawver he had apparently been shaking his arm before the “pop”. And Snitker said the elbow issue was there “before he got hit by that line drive”. My point is…why is he pitching? Did he tell them after or did they already know?
Deep psychological analysis here
Oh Smacky, you rascal, you!
Thankfully, for the Phillies.
pft idiot
amazing how important a no-hit SS is to this team
And most of 2026.
The bright side of that bad situation is if no setbacks and they’re extremely conservative, depending on the roster next year they could throw him in the pen the second half of 2026.
Letting him air it out for an inning could be fun and obviously keep his innings down while helping the big league club.
Mr. Anthopolous, Dr. Neal ElAttrache is on the phone for you.
It’s the cell phone era.
7runs allowed in his last start
Now elbow strain
Yiiiikes
Ouch. The disaster of a season continues for the Braves. Sorry y’all.
Stupid comments on here remind me of the saying: just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
I thought it was going to be his ankle
Yeah me too. It’s a shame. He was pitching pretty well up to that point in the game
I only have one poster on my mute list: TradeAcuña. If he’d occasionally post something worth reading then I’d read it, but he doesn’t. His posts are just a waste of time and space.
Don’t worry he’s still posting the same nonsense as always…
How would you know if he occasionally posts something worthwhile? If you have him muted you can’t read anything he posts. Are you implying you have an alternative account where you can read his posts so in fact you are telling us he indeed has nothing worthwhile to say?? I’m just saying your original post is a little misleading; I’m not taking up for or against your opponent.
I muted him today. I got tired of his trolling drivel.
@bham: I don’t mute anyone here because it ruins comment threads. Better to ignore, laugh at, or dispute their garbage. Have to admit that I’ve considered muting Trade, Johnny Devil, and blackpink’s many screen names but I haven’t. As annoying as they are, it’s still worth reading their garbage sometimes. Everybody needs a good laugh once in a while.
That sucks Braves fans…
Pooor kid. He was off to such a good start
😱
Braves fans have had it really rough last couple years. Team might be cursed.
The last 18 months (which include the first Brave Cy Young winner since the Big 3 and a postseason berth FWIW) have stunk but before that they had won the division six straight times, a World Series title, had two MVPs, won 100 games in back-to-back years and made a strong case for best offensive of all time.
The injuries, losses, in-game decisions and pursue-tightness have stunk, but I don’t think anyone is feeling sorry for us right now.
Yep. They had a nice run. They honestly just need new leadership imo.
Can’t forget that they found Spencer Shwellenbach and Drake Baldwin.
TJ surgery, see you in ‘27 (maybe)
While I hope that’s not the case for him, I’ll for sure see you in 2027 too!
Starting pitching has been good enough to win with. I would hate to be the manager of this team with the bullpen we have. Riley has to be leading the league in errors for third baseman. Offensively we look like we have no idea what we are doing. Our bullpen is terrible, sorry I have already said that. Our bullpen is the worse, we lost 2 good relievers, we did not replace. We have one reliever that walks half the batters he faces, I watch but sometimes it’s hard. I would fire Snit, replace AA and try to get rid if every reliever we have.
I’ve noticed your closer has blown a few games and has a high ERA. I’ve heard folks on here blaspheme Bummer a few times. Who else is wrecking the party in the pen?
The question you should have asked is who in the pen warrants being there. I do not trust, we lost 2 relievers in off season, but instead of adding, we find replacements in minor league or waiver wire.
I was watching live and they showed a replay where you can clearly read Smith-Shawver’s lips as he tells the manager he felt a “pop.” Ozzie Albies’s face at that moment told the whole story.
Now we get the ‘two weeks of rest’, then some medical injection, then a second opinion, a third opinion and then July comes and they admit it is TJ surgery.
The Braves seem to be getting bad luck with their successful prospects. First Strider and now this.
I think there should be a study if there is a correlation between elbow injuries and tattoos on the pitching arm
I wish they would fire Snitker to give a shakeup and energize the team, but they won’t.
AA has been a lifelong Brave. He will not be fired. However, he will likely retire after this season.
or dodd