Key pitcher of Phillies rival takes major injury hit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Atlanta Braves have had one of the most talented roster in baseball over the last half-decade. The one main obstacle in their title hopes has been injuries.
2026, meet the Braves.
Today the Phillies’ NL East rival placed starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach on the 60-day disabled list with bone spurs in his right elbow.
This is yet another significant injury for a team that has dealt with its fair share over the past few years, particularly in its rotation.
Last season, Schwellenbach was 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts before being shut down for the season with a fractured elbow. New Braves manager Walt Weiss said Schwellenbach’s pre-spring training workouts were progressing well before this major setback.
“He was doing great,” Weiss told mlb.com. “He was throwing bullpens, and everything was great. The last bullpen he threw was a week and a half ago or so, and it wasn’t great. That’s when the red flags went off. So we’re hoping for the best.
In 2025, Bryce Elder was the only Braves starter to make more than 23 starts. Chris Sale missed 2 ½ months with a fractured rib cage; Spencer Strider had a hamstring injury that limited him to three starts through the end of May, after missing nearly all of the 2024 season due to elbow surgery. Grant Holmes’ season was shut down at the end of July with a partial UCL tear, that did not require surgery.
Now, Schwellenbach likely won’t take a big-league mound for Atlanta until at least June.
“I always say, before a season even starts, your pitching depth is going to get tested,” Weiss said. “It’s inevitable, you know. But you’d rather not have it happen right away in February.”
For a division race that will be as hotly-contested as it has, perhaps in its history, between the Braves, Phillies, and Mets, losing a pitcher of Schwellenbach’s quality is something Weiss and his team can ill afford.