The Atlanta Braves’ season has been underwhelming, but still salvageable, until Wednesday hit with a gut punch. Their one rising hope, Spencer Schwellenbach, landed on the IL with a fractured elbow. And just like that, their postseason hopes seem to have snapped.
The Braves announced the news through a press release with a series of roster changes. Some players returning, someone DFA’d, but the most dreadful news was waiting at the bottom. The 25-year-old rookie starting pitcher’s injury update. Schwellenbach was moved to the 15-day IL after fracturing his right elbow. And the rumored return timeline? Not until September.
That’s going to cost the Braves, who are heading into a crucial stretch with a rotation already on crutches.
“The club additionally recalled LHP Austin Cox to Atlanta and placed RHP Spencer Schwellenbach on the 15-day INJURED LIST, backdated to the 29th, with a fractured right elbow,” the press release read. Reportedly, he had felt soreness after starting against the Phillies on Saturday.
The 25-year-old was having a legitimate season, even though the team has slipped to fourth in the NL East with a 39–46 record.
Horrible break for Spencer Schwellenbach pic.twitter.com/FR4BugUES5
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 2, 2025
Schwellenbach was on a roll this season, so much so that he was even being considered for an All-Star appearance. “If I don’t tell him [next] Sunday, I’ll probably tell him during the week,” Braves manager Brian Snitker had said to Harrison Smajovits earlier this weekend.
But that’s no longer the story. The Braves continue to stumble without finding a proper anchor.
On other news, Jurickson Profar, serving an 80-day suspension for using PEDs, was reinstated from the restricted list. To make space, the Braves DFA’d struggling outfielder Alex Verdugo. Well, that welcome might not be warm unless Profar delivers big numbers.
But coming back to Spencer Schwellenbach, fans are heartbroken because it seems like he was the last hope they were counting on…
Fans devastated by Schwellenbach’s injury
What do you do when a key player, one you counted on to carry your postseason hopes, goes down just when you needed him most? Schwellenbach was one of the main reasons fans were tuning in and booking tickets. Naturally, the emotions weren’t hidden in Talkin’ Baseball‘s comment section.
“Braves season is over,” one fan wrote. Well, numbers talk there. The 25-year-old is 7–4 this season with an impressive 3.09 ERA. He also struck out 108 batters and has a WHIP of 0.97—tied for eighth in the Majors. Even amid the team’s slump, he was a bright spot. Now, just 7.5 games back in the Wild Card and 11 games behind the division lead, hopes have taken a serious hit. An October run? Fans are dubious!
Some fans also criticized the team’s handling of the young pitcher. “Probably shouldn’t overuse your pitchers just to beat the Mets in a June series.” It’s not an empty complaint. Before his last start against the Phillies, Schwellenbach threw 186 pitches across two games against the Yankees, followed by another 90 against the Phillies. With injuries mounting left and right, Snitker’s decision to push one of his best arms has clearly backfired.
“We have never been more cooked. We literally have one healthy starter—and even he is just coming back from elbow surgery,” another fan wrote. With Schwellenbach now on the IL, he becomes the fourth starter the Braves have lost to injuries. He joins a long list: Chris Sale, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Reynaldo López. The only hope left? Spencer Strider, who’s just returned from an elbow injury himself, and still finding consistency. Schwellenbach was fueling the team when the veterans were shelved, and now, that fire’s out.
At this point, it feels less like bad luck and more like a curse. Remember the 2021 Braves? That might be the last sweet memory fans have left. “Braves really signed a devil deal for that 2021 WS,” one fan sighed. Since that World Series win, every season has been cut short, mainly due to injuries. The rotation keeps getting chipped away. While fans kept hoping, it seems like this season is slipping away, too. Some are now pointing fingers at GM Alex Anthopoulos.
“If the Braves are not one of the major sellers at the deadline, AA needs to be fired,” one fan posted, clearly fed up. Remember how he let two of the best starters in the league walk in the offseason? Charlie Morton went to Baltimore, and Max Fried landed in the New York Yankees. The worst part? The Braves didn’t make any real effort to replace them. Even though the GM has denied becoming a seller, at this point, it might be their only sensible option.
They should have used the money to replace Morton and Fried. If so, the rotation would’ve had a backup plan. Now, all they can do is hope for a major offensive spark. Even pushing this team to a .500 record seems tough. Their only other option? Make something happen before the trade deadline. If they want to replace Schwellenbach, the time to act is now.
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