Brace for impact: the Braves will start the season without two expected pillars in their rotation. Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach underwent surgery on Wednesday to remove “loose bodies” from his elbow, and Hurston Waldrep, one of Atlanta’s promising rotation hopefuls, is slated for a similar procedure next week.
Braves manager Walt Weiss didn’t pin down a precise return date for either pitcher, but he expressed optimism that both could still contribute this season. Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list at the outset of spring training on February 10 due to elbow inflammation. The 25-year-old had a strong 2024 campaign when healthy, going 7-4 with a 3.08 ERA across 17 starts, before missing the final three months with a broken right arm.
Waldrep, the Braves’ first-round pick out of Florida in the 2023 amateur draft, felt renewed discomfort after throwing batting practice over the weekend. An MRI revealed no ligament damage for the 23-year-old right-hander, who will turn 24 on March 1.
Before these injuries surfaced, Schwellenbach posted a standout late-season stretch: 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA across his last 10 starts, with eight Braves wins in that span. He tallied 71 strikeouts against 11 walks in 69 1/3 innings during that run. Schwellenbach made his major-league debut in 2024, finishing with an 8-7 record and a 3.35 ERA in 21 starts.
And this is where a crucial decision could shape Atlanta’s spring and beyond: how the rotation adjusts in the short term while Schwellenbach and Waldrep recuperate. The situation invites debate about how much risk teams should take on young arms when injuries pop up early in camp. Do you prioritize immediate performance or long-term health, even if it means leaning on less proven options at the start of the season? Share your thoughts below.
