Latest news with #SpencerSchwellenbach
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Braves star Spencer Schwellenbach placed on IL due to fractured right elbow as team's disaster season gets worse
The Atlanta Braves' disappointing season has taken another turn for the worse. Pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the injured list due to a fractured right elbow, the team announced Wednesday. The Braves took an odd route when announcing the move, burying it in a lengthy press release that highlighted three other transactions, including the return of outfielder Jurickson Profar from a PED suspension. At the end of the release, the team revealed Schwellenbach's injury but did not provide any additional details. Schwellenbach didn't appear to shows signs of injury in his last start, in which he struck out 12 over seven innings on June 28. Schwellenbach apparently felt the injury the day after that start, per David O'Brien of The Athletic. He won't throw for four weeks as he recovers. The team hopes he'll be able to return by September. The injury puts a damper on a fantastic start to the season for the 25-year-old. Over 110 2/3 innings — which ranks third among National League pitchers — Schwellenbach has a 3.09 ERA. He has racked up 108 strikeouts and a 2.2 fWAR and had a shot to receive Cy Young votes if he continued to pitch well the rest of the way. The injury comes at a tough time for the Braves, who lost eight-time All-Star pitcher Chris Sale to a rib fracture in June. The team also lost starters AJ Smith-Shawver and Reynaldo Lopez earlier this season, which significantly weakened Atlanta's pitching depth. In addition to injuries on the pitching side, the team started the year without superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., who was recovering from an ACL injury. The Braves also dealt with an injury to catcher Sean Murphy and Profar's PED suspension, leaving them without multiple starters for stretches at the beginning of the season. Entering play Wednesday, Atlanta had a 38-46 record, good for fourth in the National League East. The team faces a tough road ahead if it hopes to recover and make the playoffs.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shanks: Here's why Alex Anthopoulos, Atlanta Braves must be sellers at the trade deadline
Don't let the Braves weekend series win in St. Louis fool you. As they prepare to host the All-Star Game Tuesday night, they will be in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar position: practically out of the pennant race with two-plus months to go. The last thing general manager Alex Anthopoulos needs to do is to believe the last few games should give him hope. The hope more or less died when starter Spencer Schwellenbach went down for at least two months. That was the nail driven into the 2025 casket. Advertisement Even in a best-case scenario, with Schwellenbach and Chris Sale returning sometime in September, the Braves have to make it to then. With basically a three-man starting rotation (Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder) right now, there's just no way. Plus, they still can't hit. And now, Austin Riley is down for a while with injury. Considering the luck of this year's team, luck that evidently carried over from last season, who knows how long Riley's strained right abdomen will take to heal. The rotation issues are what kill any hope, however. Starting Aaron Bummer twice to try and survive until something else comes along is not going to cut it. Bummer gave up six runs in his 4.2 innings as a starter, and he should never be allowed to be near a mound to start a game again. This was the time when four years ago, Anthopoulos still believed in that hope. The Braves were only one game under the .500 mark and only 4.5 games out of first place. He then pulled off six trades between the end of the All-Star Break and the trade deadline. Advertisement This year's team is too far gone to go down that road. Instead, Anthopoulos needs to listen to any and all offers. He's got to admit a harsh reality that his up-the-middle infield and outfield is, all of a sudden, in bad shape. He's got to admit trading a few of his players could reset the roster for 2026, and he's got to admit his team, his organization needs help. Most analysts still rank Atlanta's farm system as one of the five worst in the sport, so immediate help to fix what has broken is not really an option. Therefore, Anthopoulos needs to search for help elsewhere. Some may believe that Sean Murphy could be a logical replacement for Marcell Ozuna, who is soon to move on as the Atlanta designated hitter. Murphy is under contract for three more seasons and then a team option for 2029 – all at $15 million per season. But with Drake Baldwin establishing himself as a great long-term option at catcher, Anthopoulos needs to take advantage of Murphy's rehabilitated trade value and deal him away. Advertisement Sure, Murphy could replace Ozuna, and either he or Baldwin could be in the lineup every day next season. But Murphy is a really good catcher. Teams like San Diego and Tampa Bay have already been linked to Murphy, and a trade could bring Atlanta back an infield option for next season. Ozuna will only fetch a mid-level prospect, considering the struggles he's had the last two months. Raisel Iglesias, a pending free agent like Ozuna, will probably get a similar return. Relievers Aaron Bummer, Pierce Johnson, Rafael Montero and Enyel de los Santos would not bring back much, but for a farm system ranked so low, every prospect could help. It's doubtful any team would want second baseman Ozzie Albies. Yes, he's fallen that far. And since Michael Harris II has shown no improvement, he needs to spend the latter part of the summer in Triple-A Gwinnett. Chris Sale is out until late August, but if his rib heals, he could be a huge piece for a team's rotation in the stretch drive. Anthopoulos has said he doesn't want to trade Sale since he's under contract for next season, but he's got to at least listen. Advertisement The Braves don't necessarily need a rebuild, but this is an opportunity for a reset. For the last couple of years, fans have wondered if this roster has too many nice players, and players who just don't show enough fire. The perception is the clubhouse is stale, too unemotional. Well, make a few trades and the organization could look at lot different going into next season. It will be hard for Anthopoulos to sell instead of buy. Remember, the Braves have been in the playoffs for each of his prior seven seasons as the general manager. But while injuries have been a storyline for the second season in a row, this team did start the season 0-7. That kind of showed weaknesses that Anthopoulos didn't admit to or recognize that contributed to the poor record. But now, Anthopoulos has a chance to make amends with this disaster of a season. He can get some new blood in this organization. He can acquire some new options that might become answers for next season. Like it or not, that's where this team is for now. Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays on The SuperStations – 103.7 FM in Savannah and online at Email Bill at TheBillShanksShow@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Atlanta Braves must be sellers at MLB trade deadline
Associated Press
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
He's back! 41-year-old reliever Jesse Chavez returns again for his seventh stint with Braves
ATLANTA (AP) — Jesse Chavez has returned yet again for his seventh stint with the Atlanta Braves, including his second this season. The Braves added the 41-year-old reliever to their major league roster before Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. It is the sixth move to add the veteran right-hander to Atlanta's roster since 2021 and the seventh overall since 2009. Chavez allowed two runs in three innings in his first stint with the Braves this season after being called up on April 1. He was released a few days later and granted free agency before re-signing with the team. The Braves optioned left-hander Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett and transferred right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach to the 60-day injured list. Schwellenbach was placed on the injured list on Wednesday with a fractured right elbow, possibly ending his season. The loss of Schwellenbach led the Braves to use seven pitchers, including Dodd, in a bullpen game in Saturday's 9-6 loss to Baltimore in 10 innings. That prompted the move to add Chavez for pitching depth in Sunday's final game of the series. Chavez first joined the Braves in December 2009 in a trade with Tampa Bay for reliever Rafael Soriano. He played on Atlanta's 2021 World Series championship team after signing a minor league deal. Chavez made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in 2008 and has pitched for nine teams in 18 seasons, including multiple stints with Toronto, the Los Angeles Angels, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
He's back! 41-year-old reliever Jesse Chavez returns again for his seventh stint with Braves
FILE - Atlanta Braves pitcher Jesse Chavez throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the sixth inning in Game 1 of an NL Wild Card Series baseball game on Oct. 1, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) ATLANTA (AP) — Jesse Chavez has returned yet again for his seventh stint with the Atlanta Braves, including his second this season. The Braves added the 41-year-old reliever to their major league roster before Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. It is the sixth move to add the veteran right-hander to Atlanta's roster since 2021 and the seventh overall since 2009. Advertisement Chavez allowed two runs in three innings in his first stint with the Braves this season after being called up on April 1. He was released a few days later and granted free agency before re-signing with the team. The Braves optioned left-hander Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett and transferred right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach to the 60-day injured list. Schwellenbach was placed on the injured list on Wednesday with a fractured right elbow, possibly ending his season. The loss of Schwellenbach led the Braves to use seven pitchers, including Dodd, in a bullpen game in Saturday's 9-6 loss to Baltimore in 10 innings. That prompted the move to add Chavez for pitching depth in Sunday's final game of the series. Chavez first joined the Braves in December 2009 in a trade with Tampa Bay for reliever Rafael Soriano. He played on Atlanta's 2021 World Series championship team after signing a minor league deal. Advertisement Chavez made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in 2008 and has pitched for nine teams in 18 seasons, including multiple stints with Toronto, the Los Angeles Angels, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shanks: Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos must take calls ahead of trade deadline
Every team in every sport at every level goes into a season knowing things are going to happen. There will be injuries, players may not meet expectations, and even off-the-field issues can come into play to make it difficult to make it through a season. But what the Atlanta Braves have been through since the start of the 2024 season is almost cruel. It's been one thing after the other, and not much has been positive. Advertisement Now, let's not bury the lead here. The main reason the Braves are below .500 and are having a disappointing season is they cannot hit. The offense is embarrassing, and it's hard to believe even part of this lineup was in place two years ago when the 2023 offense set records. Wednesday's news that Spencer Schwellenbach had a fracture in his elbow was almost comical. Not funny ha-ha, but funny leaving you incredulous that this just can't be happening again. The first four starting pitchers for the Braves that started the season are all now out. Chris Sale won't be eligible to return until August 19 as he deals with a broken rib. Reynaldo Lopez had shoulder surgery April 8, and there is no clue when or if he'll return this season. Schwellenbach was third, and there is no guarantee he'll be back unless the elbow heals quickly. And game four starter AJ Smith-Shawver had Tommy John elbow surgery and is out for the rest of 2025. So, the Braves can't hit, and now 80-percent of the opening day starting rotation is out. Advertisement Good luck. The Braves went 11-15 in June and did little to help their chances of recovering from the 0-7 start to get back in the pennant race. It's July now, so along with everything else going on, the calendar is becoming Atlanta's enemy. Sure, they came back from being 10.5 games back of the Mets to win the NL East in 2022, but they started their run in early-June and it took four months to reach first place. Alex Anthopoulos, Atlanta's general manager, will have decisions to make. The All-Star Game is in Atlanta in two weeks, so Anthopoulos will likely wait until the sport leaves town. But when it all settles, and if the Braves are still way far behind, Anthopoulos needs to make some trades. And he doesn't need to add to the roster for a run at another playoff appearance; Anthopoulos instead needs to push reset and prepare for next season. Advertisement There is zero guarantee that Schellenbach and Lopez can return this season, and if the Braves aren't in a pennant race, the discussion should be whether shutting them down would be the best decision. Sale's status is unclear. Anthopoulos said on 680 the Fan in Atlanta on June 19 there was no chance he would trade Sale, but he did leave a caveat of if 'you get to late July and things are completely changed, I guess we would re-evaluate it. But it would have to be extreme.' Two days after that interview, Anthopoulos and the Braves learned Sale broke his rib and now we know he won't be back until late-August. Now, the Schwellenbach injury. Is this extreme enough, or will Anthopoulos, who has never been in a sell-mode in his seven-plus years as Atlanta's GM, simply wait to see what the record and deficit is into late-July? Could Anthopoulos's words be the Braves' equivalent of 'Read my lips. No new taxes?' How can the Braves survive July with this rotation? Spencer Strider is now the number one, followed by Grant Holmes. Strider is coming back from the major injury, and Holmes has never had a full season as a MLB starter. Bryce Elder, originally slated for Triple-A this season, is now the number three starter. Advertisement Rookie and barely-20-year-old Didier Fuentes is the fourth starter. The Braves likely wanted him back to Triple-A to get more experience, but they have no choice but to leave him up now. And the fifth starter, well, we'll find out Friday night what they'll do in Schwellenbach's spot. Here are a few reasons Anthopoulos must listen if he gets calls on his players. First, the injuries to the starters will create tremendous uncertainty next spring. All of those pitchers are going to have to prove they can stay healthy, and that's not been easy or any of them. Sale has been brittle for the last decade, while Lopez has been on the injured list three times in two years. Also, the Atlanta farm system does not have adequate position player prospects who can step in and become starters anytime soon. Since he signed many of the position players to long-term deals, Anthopoulos instead focused on pitching in the draft the last few years. There are a few position player prospects in the lower levels, but none are close to being ready. For example, the Braves may need a new second baseman next season if they do not pick up the team option on Ozzie Albies. Nacho Alvarez, who has mainly played shortstop in the minors, could possibly move there, but he's not a highly-rated prospect. There is no shortstop close to being ready, and that will have to be addressed this winter. And if Michael Harris II doesn't rebound, will the Braves need a new center fielder? Advertisement The Braves would have to find those replacements through trades, and if they put some of the veterans on the market in late-July, they could find answers to some of those questions about the future. And don't panic with this, but what if a team called about Ronald Acuña, Jr.? Anthopoulos would have to listen. Acuna, Jr. has one year and then two more team options seasons keeping him under control through 2028. But if Anthopoulos does not get a guarantee from owner Terry McGuirk that the funds will be there to keep him a Brave for life, he cannot let Acuna, Jr. walk out the door like Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson and Max Fried all did without getting anything in return. Listening doesn't mean Anthopoulos has to pull the trigger on deals, but the extreme has happened with the rotation now looking weak. The one part propping up this team while the offense has struggled in now going to be one big Band-Aid. And the tremendous challenge the Braves had to get back into this race may have just become impossible. Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays on The SuperStations – 103.7 FM in Savannah and online at Email Bill at TheBillShanksShow@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Injuries could force Atlanta Braves to sell at MLB trade deadline
