The two worst words an MLB pitcher can hear in spring training is “elbow inflammation.” After a full offseason of rest, an early elbow injury can derail a player’s season before it even begins.
The Atlanta Braves were the unfortunate recipient of those words Tuesday, as promising, young starter Spencer Schwellenbach will be placed on the 60-day Injured List with right elbow inflammation.
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The team is hoping the 25-year-old Schwellenbach is dealing with bone spurs, and not a more serious issue.
Even if the team gets “good” news on Schwellenbach, he’ll still miss the first two months of the 2026 MLB season. Players start accruing time on the 60-day IL once opening day happens, and that stint can only be backdated by a maximum of three days, guaranteeing Schwellenbach will miss significant time in 2026 even in a best-case scenario.
Since making his major-league debut in 2024, Schwellenbach has flashed future ace upside. As a rookie, he posted a 3.35 ERA over 123 2/3 innings with Atlanta. The advanced stats backed up that performance, making Schwellenbach a popular breakout candidate in 2025.
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He lived up to those expectations early, posting a 3.09 ERA over his first 17 starts last season. But Schwellenbach sustained a fractured elbow in what the team called a “freak accident.” At the time of the injury, Schwellenbach had a 2.2 fWAR and was a candidate to receive Cy Young award votes if he continued to pitch well down the stretch.
It was one of many injuries sustained by key Braves players last season. As a result of all those injuries, the team finished 76-86, its worst win total since 2017 — excluding the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.
While the Braves initially believed Schwellenbach could return in September, that didn’t happen. He made his last major-league appearance in late June, and entered the offseason hoping to be fully recovered by spring training.
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The injury puts a damper on both the Braves’ chances in 2026 and Schwellenbach’s development. When he’s been on the mound, Schwellenbach has looked like a future superstar who could carry a team’s rotation. But injuries in two straight seasons have now brought questions about Schwellenbach’s ability to handle a full major-league workload. And given that this is the second significant injury to Schwellenbach’s throwing elbow, there’s no guarantee he’ll show the same upside when he’s ready to return.
If there’s a reason to be optimistic, the Braves are expected to bounce back in a major way in 2026. The team is projected to win 92.2 games and win the National League East, per Baseball Prospectus’ projections.
If the Braves can live up to that projection — and Schwellenbach’s injury proves to be relatively minor — there’s still a chance he can return in time to pitch meaningful games down the stretch.