Spencer Schwellenbach, Braves Ace, Suffers Elbow Fracture
The Atlanta Braves’ star pitcher, Spencer Schwellenbach, has been diagnosed with a fractured elbow, adding to the team’s list of long-term injured starters.
The news was confirmed on Wednesday, when the Braves announced that Schwellenbach was placed on the 15-day injured list, as part of a series of roster moves. Although the team has not specified the recovery time, it has been reported that the right-handed pitcher will not be able to pitch for at least four weeks.
The last time Schwellenbach pitched in a game was on Saturday, where he achieved a personal record of 12 strikeouts in Atlanta’s victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. According to reports, the pitcher felt discomfort on Sunday, which led to the discovery of the small fracture in his elbow.
This season, Schwellenbach has maintained a 7-4 record with an ERA of 3.09 in 17 starts for the Braves. Schwellenbach’s absence adds to those of other important players, including Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ribs), 2024 All-Star pitcher Reynaldo López (shoulder), and rookie AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow).
At 25 years old, Schwellenbach stood out in the National League, ranking third in innings pitched (110.2), third in WHIP (0.97), and 11th in strikeouts (108).
In other team moves, the Braves announced the activation of outfielder Jurickson Profar, after serving an 80-game suspension for the use of banned substances. To make room on the roster, veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo was designated for assignment.
