Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach dealing with elbow inflammation

Spring Training just began, and the Braves are already dealing with three major injuries, with the latest being a complete gut punch to the club’s chances of seriously challenging the Dodgers in the National League this season. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Spencer Schwellenbach is dealing with right elbow inflammation and will begin the season on the 60-day IL.

Spencer Schwellenbach is dealing with right elbow inflammation. The Braves are hoping he’s just dealing with bone spurs. But he’ll miss significant time. He’ll begin the year on the 60-day IL

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) February 10, 2026

This comes after Schwellenbach’s 2025 campaign ended prematurely when he suffered a fractured elbow. It doesn’t sound like the Braves have a clear timetable yet, but the fact they’ve already ruled him out for at least the first two months is far from encouraging.

Schwellenbach has been unbelievable to start his major-league career, racking up 5.0 WAR over 38 starts with a 3.23 ERA and 3.27 FIP. He already looks like a legitimate frontline starter who was showing signs of becoming a potential ace before going down with the elbow injury last season. Now there have to be serious questions about not only what he can provide this year, but his long-term outlook as well.

Unfortunately, the Braves have seen this story play out the wrong way time and time again in recent years — most notably with Michael Soroka, Kyle Wright, and Spencer Strider, all of whom have dealt with multiple major injuries that derailed their careers.

Speaking of Strider, all eyes will now be on him to have a massive bounce-back campaign in 2026. Prior to the UCL injury he suffered in 2024, he was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. However, he struggled at times during his return last season, pitching to a 4.45 ERA while experiencing a noticeable dip in velocity. For the Braves to get back to the playoffs, they’ll need the pre-injury version of Strider to step up in Schwellenbach’s absence.

Even that might not be enough to fully ease Atlanta’s rotation concerns. Adding another starter was already a need even with a healthy Schwellenbach. Now it feels non-negotiable. Most of the top arms are off the market, but signing a veteran innings-eater with some upside — like Lucas Giolito or Chris Bassitt — has become a much bigger priority.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

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