Feb. 11: Schwellenbach details (video link via Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that he felt strong throughout the offseason and had thrown off a mound four or five times without issue before experiencing discomfort right at the end of a 20-pitch bullpen session about ten days ago. He’s since undergone imaging that led to his diagnosis and 60-day IL placement. Schwellenbach says he might require arthroscopic surgery — nothing is scheduled yet — and isn’t sure what the recovery period would be from that procedure.
Feb. 10: The Braves opened camp this morning with an unwelcome update on talented young righty Spencer Schwellenbach. He’s been placed on the 60-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
The team’s hope is that the 25-year-old is dealing with bone spurs and not something more nefarious. Regardless, since the “60-day” term begins on Opening Day (and can only be backdated a maximum of three days), Schwellenbach will miss at least two months of action to begin the season. His IL placement should open space on the roster for catcher Jonah Heim, who agreed to a one-year deal with Atlanta earlier today.
Injuries to the pitching staff were the hallmark of Atlanta’s 2025 season, and their 2026 campaign isn’t starting out much differently. The Braves have already been on the lookout for rotation help — perhaps already knowing that Schwellenbach would be sidelined — with reported interest in Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito, among others. Atlanta has already had to make one late-offseason pivot, signing Jorge Mateo and Kyle Farmer (the latter on a minor league deal) after Ha-Seong Kim suffered a torn tendon in his hand when he slipped on some ice and fell in a fluke off-field injury. He’ll need four to five months to recover from the subsequent surgery. Schwellenbach’s injury seems to set the stage for another late addition.
The Braves had already been facing workload and health concerns in the rotation. Chris Sale missed significant time with a ribcage fracture last season and has a lengthy injury history. Spencer Strider‘s return from UCL surgery produced results that were nowhere close to his star-caliber performance prior to injury. Schwellenbach missed months due to an elbow fracture. Reynaldo Lopez only made one start last year due to shoulder surgery. Promising young righty AJ Smith-Shawver was shelved after a handful of starts due to his own Tommy John procedure.
Entering the year, the Atlanta rotation figured to include Sale, Strider, Schwellenbach, Lopez and one of Hurston Waldrep, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Didier Fuentes or an external addition such as Giolito or Bassitt. The Braves are down to three established veterans (Sale, Strider, Lopez), none of whom is coming off a peak season in terms of both health and performance. There ought to be a fair bit of urgency to add another starter to help keep pace in a perennially competitive National League East.
How much space the Braves do or don’t have to make that rotation addition happen isn’t fully clear. RosterResource projects an actual cash payroll around $268MM and a CBT payroll about $10MM less than that. That puts the Braves around $6MM shy of the second tier of luxury tax penalization. They’d owe a 20% tax on any dollars up to the $264MM luxury mark and a 32% tax on anything from $264MM to $284MM. That’s presumably the point at which Atlanta would prefer to halt its spending, given that crossing the $284MM third-tier threshold is the point at which a team’s top draft pick is dropped by 10 places.
Really starting to feel like 26 is 25 for the Braves.
And so it begins…it’s almost like AA should’ve addressed SP is free agency to hedge our bets. Still time i guess, who’s left Bassit?
Bassitt would be a solid signing for them. Price and term won’t be prohibitive. It’s at least a possibility.
Scherzer? Bassit is my top choice. Gallen 2nd. Nevermind Giolito would be better.
Bassitt, Verlander, Gallen (QO) — a lot still left
Well there goes Verlander, and Gallen is not an option…so back down to Bassitt i guess lol
Read that Giolito was a possibility. But yeah, Braves pitching depth is paper thin.
Yikes
Unreal.
Same OL’ Braves . Might as well place the entire rotation on the 60 IL.
They just need to sign Gallen & Bassitt now.
“Just” lol
Stay away from Gallen.
Giolito followed by Bassitt would be my choice.
Depending on what they find out with Schwellenbach they still have depth.
Sale, Strider, Lopez, Holmes, Waldrep, Ritchie, Elder. If it is bone spurs and he needs a clean-up then maybe Schwellenbach comes back in time to give Sale, Lopez, and Holmes rest
Add Wentz and Jose Suarez to that list.
The first of a plethora of Tommy John Surgeries this Spring.
If they don’t go out and sign one of the veteran arms that are left now then they really don’t care about winning a championship. Bassitt preferably unless you can convince Minnesota to finally part with one of their starters.
Alas …injury prone players and catchers report today!
Report to the training room?
Nah the discount surgery centre, where this spring only we’re offering buy one, get one free tjs. Better hurry thou space is limited
Gallen isn’t happening. Welp here we go again!
Yep. Totally just bone spurs.
At least we won 2 championships in the last 30 years.
Those 90’s teams should have won alot more. On paper, they were better than those Yankee teams.
Bobby Cox cost them more championships by leaving his starters in too long.
The only on paper team better was 96. They were not better than ’99 and if they beat the Padres in 1998 they wouldn’t have beaten the Yankees that year either.
I agree with all that but Eric Gregg screwed us in ’97 and ’91 and ’92 were tossups on paper just went the wrong way.
Yankees were eliminated in part because of a boneheaded play by Knoblauch in 97. The Yankees were awful in 1991 and 1992
The 80s Mets feel your pain
Next headline.
Spencer Strider ate a spider & out for the season.
Sounds like a nursery rhyme
What happened to the idea Braves were going to get a starter in offseason? Where did that go? Zac Gallen not a decent option? Too hurt?
Martin Perez
Too much QO on Gallen. Too much decline on Gallen. Braves won’t sign him and lose the PPI pick gained by Baldwin’s ROY win and (hopefully) they want a better pitcher. Braves don’t necessarily have to sign anybody if Scwellenbach’s dealing w/bone spurs. The trade market still exists and so does Atlanta’s pitching depth. Waldrep and Ritchie may have just had rotation spots gifted to them. Elder might have dodged a dfa/trade bullet as well.
Counting on Waldrep and Ritchie is NOT a championship strategy.
You think blowing the payroll up for Gallen is? He was horrible last season. Why do so many here insist that “a championship strategy” based on over paying for mediocre FA pitching is the key to success? Using depth options to fill short term injury problems is reasonable. Rookies develop w/opportunity.
Not a fan of Gallen myself. Bassitt would be nice depending on price. Letting the youngsters pitch is fine if we’re building for ’27. I’m hoping AA can snag a SP on the trade market ..Severino, Keller, Lopez, Ryan, Alcantara.. probably some out there we’re not even thinking about.
If Bassitt gets what the MLBTR staff projected him to sign for I doubt the Braves get him. He’s projected to get a 2 year deal at $38M. AA could have beaten the Tigers $13M deal for Verlander—maybe. $11M of that’s deferred until 2030. If AA didn’t try to top that, I doubt he’s going after the more expensive arms still left—-Bassitt, Gallen. Trade market or gut it out w/the depth arms/rookies they already have seems like the Braves plan. They need serviceable arms that can give them innings (vets and rookies can do this,) improved offense (very possible,) and a solid pen. They’ll be in the playoff mix w/that.
Third place here we come….
It’s not like no other pitcher(s) will go down with this staff. Probably a trade or two in the offing.
The Phils added nothing to their roster. Lost Suarez, Bahm, and who knows if Wheeler recovers. The Mets just announced Lindor needs hamate surgery. Braves still projected to have the 2nd best World Series odds (after of course the Dodgers) in MLB. Best odds to win the Division too. Atlanta isn’t the only team in the East (or all of baseball) w/injury concerns and rotation concerns.
It will be interesting to see where the odds go after the Schwelly news. Unfortunately Lindor is expected to be ready Opening Day.
That would be an improvement
It’s better than relying on old aging cast-offs.
Martin Perez is a good pitcher, good addition for the Braves. Strider should be set to have a good season and Waldrep was on fire late last season.
Sale and Lopez will be healthy to start the year, its a good rotation despite losing Schwellenbach. Elder as depth.
Id definitely have Holmes in the bullpen, he has some injury risk. Braves will likely start him but I think they are better off using him in relief until the all-star break to keep his innings low. Having him as a potential replacement for an in-season injury in the rotation is a nice contigency plan.
A Sean Murphy trade is likely Id say, it will be interesting to see if its Boston and if it is, who thr Braves get in return.
Beachy, Hanson, Wisler. Shelby Miller, Soroka, Anderson, Wright, Touissaint, Strider…
RIP Tommy Hanson.
Now do Dodgers.
That sucks, always concerning with anything elbow.
AA spent too much $$$ on the bullpen and neglected the rotation…he best get busy to close out his off season.
He does the same thing every year it seems like.
So it begins.
please please PUH-LEEZE do the Jays a solid and take Berrios off their hands
Some team surely needs a mop-up man for blowouts.
Spencer Swellinbad
That sure smells like TJ surgery in the cards….also smells like third place for the Bravos…sure does STINK!!
4th, Marlins are coming in hot
Bone spurs don’t smell the same as TJS. Could also be related to his broken elbow (chipped) from last season w/out being TJS.
They need to determine immediately if it is bone spurs and have them removed ASAP. They’re not gonna remove themselves. Then the clock starts for rehab. See you in August maybe.
Estimated recovery time on bone spur surgery is 10-12 weeks. You’re right that he needs to get the surgery ASAP. Getting it now could have him possibly returning by late May/early June.
Was beyond stupid not to acquire a good SP this off-season. You’ve got:
Lopez coming off a lost season to shoulder injury. Major red flag
Holmes dealt with UCL issue late last season. This reeks of potential TJ in ‘26
Schwellenbach literally broke his elbow.
Verdict still out on the effectiveness of this “brace procedure” Strider had. He did not look himself
Sale, while good when healthy, has had a career of injury issues.
And here’s AA signing Jonah Heim and some
Infielders.
Bets on the next one to go down… At least you’ve got Elder to Jeckyll an Hyde through the season again 🤣 AA better get off his wallet if he’s serious this year. It’s not a matter of if another SP goes down, but when & how many.
That team is so screwed. They might lose 90+
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Throwing programs now are not working
Go back to 80,90s where pitchers use to throw long distances before they get to the big leagues
Minor leaguers don’t throw more than 120 ft and more than 100 innings.
RFK Jr needs to investigate the Atlanta Braves Health Crisis! He would probably suggest they have some designated drivers to Follow Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Bulldogs Players around looking for Roadkill that may be casualties of some of their driving mishaps. Then they can use these roadkill delicacies to improve their diet for better health in hopes of reducing injuries that have plagued them the last few years! Speaking of Plague, the Braves have announced a Free Covid Mask giveaway in March on Friday the 13th vs the Yankees at Cool Today Park in North Port Florida. Stay tuned to see if they will eventually get a TV Contract for 2026.
Besides, the Mets and Phillies have completely out spent the Braves this Off-Season! So the hope now is for 3rd place!
Extremely poorly constructed team
$20M to Kim who starts the year on IL
$31M combined for 2 closers (Iglesias & Suarez)
$25.5M combined for 2 rotational OF (Yaz & Profar)
$12.1M for Murphy who starts the year on IL and is likely backup C now
All this while having 1 of the best players in MLB on a dirt cheap contract (comparatively) in RAJ.
Not my $ but good grief, why exactly does it take Ivy League education to run a baseball team . . .
They should just trade acuna to the reds already
Somewhere Chris Bassitt is smiling….
They need to just splurge and get Verlander and Bassitt. They are going to need them. Otherwise they are wasting the finals “cheap” years of Acuna and Albies and even Sale
Verlander isn’t available as he was just signed by Detroit but we need to sign Bassit ASAP
3 Braves down alread. Here we go…
Kim, schwellenbach, and who else?
Murphy
Albies
Acuna
Riley
Harris
Strider
Holmes
Lopez
Fortunately we have one guy who plays! Olson
Don’t forget Baldwin. He plays.
This really sucks. I was looking forward to watching Schwellenbach take his game to the next level. He has a lot of potential but gotta stay healthy, hopefully this is just a bump in the road.
Cheer up..we signed Jonah Heim!
Max scherzer? 1 yr 8mil?
If the Braves are going to sign a starter it doesn’t need to be Scherzer who can’t stay healthy and pitch a complete season himself
Wats in da water?
Unbelievable! You would have thought they could have figured this out 4MONTHS ago!
In the Braves pitching war of attrition, Brice Elder comes out on top.
Again.
This guy’s staying power is truly remarkable
“The team’s hope is that the 25-year-old is dealing with bone spurs and not something more nefarious.”
Bone spurs ARE NEFARIOUS. I had to have neck surgery due to bone spurs that made it nearly impossible to use my left arm and hand (ACDF on c6-c7 and it was a life changer). If the Braves doctors are so ignorant that they think a pitcher can pitch through them then they need to find new doctors. Trying to avoid the pain might even cause him to actually tear his UCL down the line.
Should have had a pre=emptive surgery to remove the spurs and he would have been ready and far better off. I know every instance is different, but unless he is an extreme outlier than the surgery would likely have been minimally invasive.
Every time I hear this ‘opting to avoid surgery’ nonsense I just shake my hand. Has it ever truly worked out in the long run? I don’t mean they came back to pitch, I mean they came back and didn’t have any further troubles with said injury. The number of success stories has to be very few.
Who stays more busy? CPAs during tax season or Braves medical staff year round?
Surprised the Braves haven’t added a starter yet. Any of Buehler, Bassit, Giolito, or Corbin would help immensely
Dodgers offer Snell for Mal-content Acuna,
Did I read he thought he might need arthroscopic surgery in that article?? That’s six months recovery right there..see ya in ’27 Spencer..get busy AA..you have work to do sir.
@Outfield” Arthroscopic surgery for bone spur recovery time is typically 10-12 weeks. IF the issue is bone spurs, he has a chance of missing less than half the season. Obviously worse if he needs another TJS, but that’s not what’s being said in the Braves press releases so far.
So mentally I am assuming Schwelly is done for the year, so that means the Braves rotation is gonna be some combo of
Sale
Strider
Lopez
Waldrep
Holmes
Elder
Perez
Ritchie
That’s a lot of trust in young guys and dudes prone to injury. I think they need Bassitt or someone comparable for sure.
Just doing a quick google check, recovery time if needed to remove spurs on the low end is 3 months, high end is 6 months. If surgery is needed, they need to pull the muscle plug ASAP for him to even have a chance at pitching in 26.
AA needs to plan for him not pitching this year. If he makes it back it’s a bonus. If going over the $284m threshold was possible he would have already signed Bassitt by now but looks like he’ll have to get creative. Trading Murphy and/or Bummer seems likely to me.
Tough getting any value for Murphy now. He won’t be back until the end of May—maybe. Doubt AA just dumps him to save the salary. It won’t happen until Murphy’s able to rebuild his value—-if even then. Be delighted to see Bummer dealt. If AA could get rid of his entire $9.5M salary, the trade return wouldn’t matter.
Yep. No one is going to give up much for him until he proves he is healthy and still has a little youth left in him.
Possibly the worst extension that the Braves have ever given out. Even without injury he was a 28year old catcher that was basically all defense except for one good season at the plate. They signed him through age 34, which is like 40 for a primary catcher.
He is already paid, so he is good, but I hope for the Braves sake he makes an amazing comeback. Well, ok, for his mental sake as well.
Now the Orioles signing Bassitt really pi$$es me off. AA should’ve signed a starter in November. Now here we are with a bunch of injury prone underachievers. I mean, did they figure Elder will be as good as Bassitt so no need to spend money on another arm? Didn’t AA say since LAST OCTOBER that he was going to sign a quality Major League starter? Boy, I hope the offense is clicking and the bullpen is healthy because they’re gonna need to carry this rotation. And maybe bring up young pitchers from Gwinnett but can any of them throw 180 innings then take the mound in a playoff series? “Doubtful” is the most optimistic response I can provide. “No” is the appropriate response.