The Atlanta Braves optioned starting pitcher Bryce Elder to Triple-A after today’s game against the Washington Nationals. The move opens a spot in the team’s rotation with Spencer Strider expected to return in the coming days from a hamstring injury suffered after his first start of the season.
The #Braves optioned RHP Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett following today’s game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 15, 2025
After struggling in his first several starts, Elder has provided consistency in the back-end of the team’s rotation beginning with his turn in the rotation on April 23. Including that appearance, he has pitched six innings in four of his five turns while allowing three runs or less in all five starts – including two starts allowing only one run in each.
Elder started last night’s game and tossed six innings allowing only one run.
For the season, he’s made eight starts for Atlanta, providing 44 innings filling in for Strider and injured starter Reynaldo Lopez. Elder has been exactly league averages with a 0.0 fWAR with a 4.50 ERA with a 4.68 xERA and 3.84 xFIP. He’s struck out 18.2-percent of the batters he has face while walking 7.2-percent. He has been homer-prone, allowing eight home runs.
To his credit, Elder was able to rebound after his first three starts which saw him allow five on the eight home runs he has allowed on the season as well as 12 of his 22 earned runs.
The Braves did not announce a corresponding roster move as the team heads to Boston for a weekend series against the Red Sox.