The Atlanta Braves are preparing for the 2026 MLB season. However, the team is dealing with injuries at the moment. It was recently revealed that Spencer Schwellenbach will miss a significant amount of time with an elbow issue. Meanwhile, Sean Murphy is also battling an injury.
Here’s a look at the latest Atlanta injury updates, via MLB.com.
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Schwellenbach has right elbow inflammation. Surgery may end up being necessary. The Braves are closely monitoring his status, but he has been placed on the 60-day IL.
It remains to be seen when he will return.
Murphy is batting a hip injury. While there is no official timeline for his return, Murphy could make his way back to the Braves’ lineup in May. June is also a possibility. Either way, Atlanta is expecting to have him for the second half of the ’26 season.
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Reynaldo Lopez has been dealing with shoulder inflammation. The good news is that he did report to spring training and is expected to be ready for the season. The last thing Atlanta needs is another injury concern, especially in the starting rotation. Lopez was limited to just one start a season ago, so his presence will be crucial.
The Braves are hoping to compete in 2026. Atlanta has been one of the most consistent contenders in recent years, but 2025 saw the ball club miss the playoffs. Injuries played an unfortunate role in their down season.
If they can avoid letting the injury bug become too much of an issue in 2026, they will likely bounce back. However, Schwellenbach’s injury is obviously notable. He was on track for a breakout campaign.
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One could argue that the Braves made a mistake by not signing another starter this offseason. The good news is that Zac Gallen and Lucas Giolito are both still available in free agency. Atlanta should strongly consider signing at least one of them given Schwellenbach’s injury. Additionally, although Lopez is healthy at the moment, his injury history should not be ignored.
Even Chris Sale and Spencer Strider have endured injury trouble in the past. Bringing in another proven starting pitcher almost seems necessary right now.
For now, the Braves are focused on preparing for 2026 spring training. Staying healthy will be the goal this spring, but adding a starter should be a priority as well for this ball club.