The Braves announced Monday that right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery this morning. He’ll miss the remainder of the 2025 season and a good portion of the 2026 season as well, though an exact timetable will hinge on how his recovery proceeds. Generally, it’s best to assume an absence of at least 14 months, but every rehab varies.
Smith-Shawver’s injury puts an early end to what was originally looking like a terrific rookie campaign. Though he’d pitched in the majors in both 2023 and 2024, the 22-year-old righty narrowly retained that rookie status heading into this season. He stormed out of the gate with a 2.33 ERA, 24.8% strikeout rate and 10.6% walk rate in his first 38 2/3 innings, holding opponents to two or fewer runs in six of his first seven starts.
The Nationals shelled Smith-Shawver for seven runs in three innings on May 22, however, and he departed his next start on May 29 with an injury after just 2 2/3 innings. It’s never encouraging when a pitcher departs due to elbow discomfort, and all signs in the immediate aftermath proved increasingly ominous. Smith-Shawver told reporters after the game that he’d felt a “pop” in his elbow. He was placed on the 15-day IL with a strain the same day but transferred to the 60-day IL just 18 hours later. Barely 24 hours after he’d exited with a trainer, the Braves announced that Smith-Shawver had been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
With Smith-Shawver joining Reynaldo Lopez on the shelf — Lopez had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in April but could potentially return late in the year — Atlanta’s pitching depth is increasingly stretched. They currently have Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder in the rotation. That’s a solid group on paper, but Strider hasn’t looked at all like himself in his first few games back from his own UCL repair.
The depth beyond that current quintet is a bit suspect. Davis Daniel and Nathan Wiles both have solid numbers with Triple-A Gwinnett and are on the 40-man roster, but they’re both relatively soft-tossing righties who were acquired in minor offseason swaps — Wiles for cash this past spring and Daniel for recent 14th-round pick Mitch Farris (after Daniel had been designated for assignment by the Angels). Hurston Waldrep, the Braves’ 2023 first-rounder and a former top prospect, has had a disastrous season in Gwinnett. Non-roster depth arms like Ian Anderson, Zach Thompson and Jose Suarez have all already cleared waivers this season and struggled to varying levels in Gwinnett. Suarez recently landed on the minor league injured list as well.
Looking longer term, Smith-Shawver will accrue major league service time and pay while he rehabs from this morning’s surgery. He’ll finish out the season with more than a year of service time but won’t be on track for Super Two status in arbitration. It’s also notable that because he was only in the minors for 16 days earlier this year when Atlanta sent him down, he won’t exhaust what would have been his final option year if he’d been sent down later in the season. He’ll retain one more minor league option year. Smith-Shawver will be on pace for arbitration eligibility in the 2027-28 offseason and for free agency in the 2030-31 offseason (though that remaining minor league option could impact either trajectory).
I believe Spencer Strider should have had the full TJ Surgery instead of the Internal Brace Procedure!
Although it would’ve been his 2nd TJ with a longer recovery period, success rate has been proven positive even by his own experience. The Internal Brace has not been performed but a handful of times and there wasn’t enough evidence of success, at least to some that it was a better option. The main difference was a shorter recovery period, BUT, Was it worth it to rush his arm back into action after a little less than a full year? Ohtani was reported to have had the same Internal Brace Procedure, so I guess we will have to wait and see how well he does when he starts Pitching again!
He didn’t have a tear though, he had bone fragments that grew into the ligament. And give him some time to get right. I think he will be fine.
There doesn’t necessarily need to be a UCL tear to warrant Tommy John surgery. It’s just fixing issues (for lack of better term) require UCL reconstruction/repair
I can’t imagine someone that doesn’t really need it getting it, but you aren’t wrong that the brace doesn’t look like it translates to the elbow as well as the Achilles.
I agree.
Internal Brace is effective for Achilles tears (the original purpose)
But we’re not seeing it with UCL/elbow “repair”
Although in theory, it should better reduce the likelihood of elbow injuries long term. Even unrelated issues like medial epicondylitis
Who said it was rushed? And is all this based on his lack of consistent velo from pre-surgery or instant results? Comping Strider to Ohtani since they both had the same procedure is fruitless. The velo should be back, but the man is a creature of habit to a fault, and hadn’t had a spring training. If he’s pitching like this same time next year, start worrying, but it’s his lack of control that and inability to locate his slider that has been the issue more so than the few ticks being down on FB. Considering how mechanics can really affect that, people need to let Strider cook, while the offense needs to hit anything. Team won’t go anywhere with the same issues in 1 and 2-run games and lack of RISP.
You can look at other examples. like Lucas Giolito
Giolito was never in the same stratosphere was Strider though. Strider really takes his body seriously, gotta think he will figure it out.
I agree. I think the concern with Strider is he never had very good ability to locate. It matters a lot more at 95 than 100. Even if he is “stuck” around 96 long term I’m sure he can learn to pitch effectively with that but it will take time and there will be ups and downs. I think with the way he meticulously looks into options and understands the body so well he will at least get back up to 97-98, next year perhaps.
I seldom see anyone return without needing a month to knock the rust off. I’d still be open to trading for him in rotisserie.
Queue up Queen – Anorher one bites the dust.
Might’ve been worse if Spencer Strider didn’t tell the manager and pitching coach that he was done. Please correct me if I’m wrong on who told them to take him out.
At this rate one player from each team might need TJS. Of I hope that doesn’t happen.
I’m no doctor, but I’m not entirely sure it could be made worse once it’s gone.
I guess that’s true but if either one of the manager or pitching coach was paying attention maybe, TJS could’ve been avoid. Maybe it might have been not full blown TJS like Justin Steele. He had elbow surgery but it wasn’t full blown TJS. Every pitcher is different though. Wish we could take injuries off in real life and never see them again. It’s unfortunate that opportunities open up from another players injury but it happens. Players might be otherwise blocked. Really depends on the severity of the injury for each player and for his team.
I get wanting to blame Snitker, but that’s honestly just silly.
I’m not blaming Snitker. Or anyone. Both him and the pitching coach were obl8to the situation though
They were what to the situation? Also, torn is torn. Them needing Strider to point it out didn’t cause additional damage.
I think that was supposed to be oblivious. Don’t know how I didn’t see it. Lol
If it was a tear, then could it get worse? Some are saying it was possibly the result on being hit on the ankle a few pitches prior (by Trea Turner, I believe) and messing with his mechanics. That seems quite conspiratory, but it’s more terrible optics on a coaching staff that already didn’t see Kelenic slacking and it being public (via Acuña). It feels like Snit is already retired, tbh. Just let Walt Weiss take over in the interim while Fredi holds his hand.
Love when a team gets cheap and then immediately pays for it. That GM did absolutely nothing to bolster the rotation and bullpen and he may be unemployed because of it.
Alex isnt the problem. It’s Terry Mcguirk only allowing Alex to shop on temu that is the issue. Alex can only improve a team with what he is given.
Alibaba is not where you go to sign the best players.
The payroll is still plenty high. There is enough talent to have a winning team. We can say they should’ve gotten more relievers but the problem has been hitting. The relief problems rear their head because there is no margin for error because of the offense. You can live with a middling bullpen if your team is solid. Riley and Olson have been okay but when half your lineup isn’t hitting and your big bats are 100 points under where the OPS would ideally be you have a problem.
I assume Ozuna’s hip is the issue but he takes too many of the wrong pitches. He hardly swings anymore and when he does it’s not a good pitch to hit. I think all the walks he was getting early on has led to him changing his gameplan a bit. Idk if he’s expecting to be pitched around or if he just thinks he is now the walk-king. Doesn’t really have the best strike zone recognition. He looks back at the umpire all the time on balls well within the strike zone. He thinks he’s Barry Bonds.
@Lou: AA signed an extension through 2030. No chance he’s going to be “unemployed.”
Atlanta is an incredible 0-10 in one-run games in the past 26 games. Too early to write them off.
As a met fan I am truly truly enjoying the Braves Collpasing and having issues…they truly enjoy when the mets are lolmets so it’s fair but…
They do have a lot of talent on their team so what the hell is going on there though? I feel they should not be this bad. Glad they are, but still baffling. Can’t be Snitker because the collapse started last year
Isn’t he retiring at the end of this season? Why clamor for his head?
AA is a top 5 executive in the game too he did a really good job there building a contender. Don’t think things going South is his fault but do think they did not want to spend any money.
Braves are too talented to be this bad. Somethings off. Clubhouse chemistry?
It is concerning though that Spencer Strider had to inform his manager that his pitcher was injured.
The division chances are long gone and back 9? Games of the WC. They need to start winning now for their fortunes to turn and theyre having a really hard time with that
You are my new favorite Mets fan, quite reasonable. Anyway, I think the answer is one that has plagued the Braves in a lot of their history. A lot of talent, and a lot of nice guys, but not enough scummy (I mean as a compliment, like Lenny Dykstra was) players. Back in 2019 the Braves were off to a really slow start, and Josh Donaldson got hit with a pitch in Pittsburgh and started a bench-clearing fight over it. We need more guys like that, in my opinion.
Yahoo sports had an article saying they would not sell except for Ozuna. I dont agree with you most of the time, but the Braves need a coaching change as well as an overhaul of certain players. I do realize that if Acuna continues to play well, the Braves wont have the money to resign him. I believe he has 3 years of control left.
They don’t have anybody to replace Albies right now.
If he is going to be replaced with a useless player why not let him try to figure it out and regain value (for your team or a potential trade)? You are so one sided on Albies. The team is largely a bunch of go about your business, low energy, quiet guys. Albies is the very heart and soul of that team. He’s the only guy that brings energy without being cocky and self centered like Ronald Mcdonald. I mean Harris does but it’s different. Albies is the guy who always has his head up and is positive.
@Trade: Same old same old from you. “Burn it all down” even though you never have any idea about how to “fix” what you’re ranting about. How about coming up w/a name or two that will “fix” what you’re always whining about. What will the Braves get for Albies, Acuna, Harris II, and the others you want to give away? Don’t have any idea do you. At least Braves Rebuild actually believes that the Braves should replenish the farm system—–no matter that trading solid ML talent to do so is a fool’s errand. He’s honest in his convictions. Give him credit for that anyway. You????? Nah.
It’s time for the Braves to sell.
Dick Mountain is going to be available. Sign him and write a one way ticket to the playoffs baby.
Was the right call. Verdict still out on this brace procedure