UPDATE: On Friday, May 30th, the Braves announced that Smith-Shawver has a torn UCL. Surgery is likely but has not been decided yet. Bryce Elder gets the starting nod on Sunday.
UPDATE: AJ Smith-Shawver has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain.
UPDATE: AJ Smith-Shawver is scheduled to have an MRI on his throwing arm.
In Game 1 of today’s doubleheader against the Phillies, Braves’ starter AJ Smith-Shawver was removed from the contest after just 2.2 innings of work. While the team has yet to provide an official update, the rumblings around the locker room are not overly positive.
While Atlanta is not short on quality pitching depth, Smith-Shawver missing an extended period of time would be a large blow. The 22-year-old had made eight starts this season prior to Thursday’s outing, maintaining a 3.67 ERA with a 3.55 FIP. Smith-Shawver does also sport an inflated 5.60 xERA, the result of an 11.0% walk rate and 10.9% opponent barrel rate, so regression may have been on the horizon, but the fact remains that RHP was keeping the Braves in games this season.
Check back to DraftKings Network for any additional updates on Smith-Shawver’s condition.
