Atlanta Braves Injury: Spencer Schwellenbach Gets Update on Return Timeline

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach has been out for the team since June of last season. Schwellenbach went down with a fractured right elbow and was expected to be ready for the start of the season. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old reported to Spring Training with elbow discomfort and underwent surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. He is now on the 60-day injured list.

Schwellenbach has dealt with injuries throughout his young career, including undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021. He was not expected to return to the big leagues this season, but a recent update from Mark Bowman suggests otherwise.

An August or September return being in the cards for the Braves is a huge boost. This timeline is the best-case scenario, he will likely have to go through a couple of rehab starts without any setbacks to return quickly.

While the team's pitching has not struggled this season, the addition of Schwellenbach near the front of the rotation would solidify the pitching staff. It would also set up a nasty four man postseason rotation with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder

In his two seasons with the Braves, Schwellenbach quickly established himself as the team co-ace along with Sale. In 234 1/3 innings pitched, he sports a 3.23 ERA with 235 strikeouts and a 1.01 WHIP.

Schwellenbach has an elite six-pitch mix that relies on his four-seam fastball. He pairs that with an excellent slider and splitter combination while mixing in a curveball, cutter and sinker.

In 2025, he showed great command with a 4.1% walk rate, which ranks in the 99th percentile in baseball. The Braves sit 18th in the league in walks allowed this season, and a return from Schwellenbach later in the year would certainly help improve that number.

The Braves sit at the top of the National League East by nine games due to their stellar lineup and pitching. The pairing of a .761 team OPS and a 3.16 team ERA set the Braves up as serious World Series contenders going into the summer. Following two disappointing seasons from Atlanta, they are clearing back to their winning ways that saw them win 104 games in 2023.

Their roster is still plagued with injuries, notably star catcher Drake Baldwin. The return of all their key players will only help continue their dominance as they currently sit 20 games above the .500 mark.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 11:55 AM.