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NEWS: Spencer Strider’s Injury Leaves Braves’ Pitching Hanging by a Thread – Crisis Looming
The Braves, who now have a 6-2 record after sweeping the defending National League champions, are off to a fantastic start.
In the first two games, Atlanta overcame a six-run deficit in the second game and defeated Arizona in extra innings, courtesy of a walk-off single by Travis d’Arnaud.
Though it’s been anything but sunshine and rainbows for Braves Country, it’s a heck of a start for a team that believes it’s either the World Series or bust. During the first series of the season, Sean Murphy suffered an oblique injury that will keep him out of the game for some time.
But we seen an even larger portion of the squad collapse against the Diamondbacks. After experiencing some elbow pain, Spencer Strider underwent an MRI, which discovered UCL damage. Tommy John surgery is typically required. The Braves ace is currently on a 15-day injured list as he is tested further.
In the best-case scenario, Strider will stay on the IL until he heals completely and will not sustain any major injuries. To ignore the worst-case scenario, which would need surgery to repair a torn UCL and prevent him from playing in the 2024 campaign, would be stupid.
Atlanta’s depth in the bullpen will be put to the test by the probable injury. With the addition of Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez this offseason—both of whom have made an impact early in their Braves careers—Alexanthopoulos strengthened the rotation. They must continue as is necessary for the rotation, but they also need the arms in Gwinnett.
Triple-A made the first call-up, going to Allen Winans. While not very noteworthy, he had a respectable 2023 season, accumulating 0.5 fWAR in just 32.1 innings pitched. He works perfectly as a stand-in.
Hurston Waldrep and A.J. Smith-Shawver are the subjects of the majority of the excitement, though. Over the weekend, the latter really made his season debut, and it did not go well. Despite giving up seven runs on eleven hits and a walk in 2.1 innings, the 2023 first-round selection still managed to record four strikeouts.
Although the materials are there, I doubt we’ll see him in Atlanta very soon. Smith-Shawver also didn’t fare any better in his one and only outing. Though the product is clearly what everyone is raving about, it wasn’t that good. In terms of being called up to the majors, he is more likely than Waldrep.
Though technically Bryce Elder should have started, Winans was given the first call because of logistical considerations. This season, Elder has started two games for the Stripers and recorded two strong outings with a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched.
It is expected by Braves supporters that Elder, not Winans, Waldrep, or perhaps Smith-Shawver, will take over at first if Spencer Strider is sidelined for an extended period of time. That doesn’t mean those youthful arms won’t be seen in Atlanta this season, either.
