AJ

Smith-Shawver

Chris Sale, who was supposed to start on Tuesday before the game was postponed, will start Game 2 of the doubleheader on Wednesday, but the Braves have not yet listed a starter for Game 1. It seems that Smith-Shawver, who threw 86 pitches on Thursday in his last rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett, will be an option. That would either push Grant Holmes to Thursday or move him out of the rotaiton.

Smith-Shawver struck out five and walked one while throwing 54 of his 86 pitches for strikes. The 23-year-old averaged 97.5 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is up two mph from what we’re used to seeing. His slider was also up four mph, so there may have been a hot gun at the stadium, but he posted a 22 percent whiff rate overall in what was a solid outing. He should be up in the Braves rotation next week and is probably worth a stash in all 15-team leagues. You can wait and see in 12-team leagues if you wanted.

Smith-Shawver scattered four hits, and he averaged 96.9 mph on his fastball while touching 99 with the heater. The right-hander has looked sharp in his rehab appearances, and while he likely needs at least one more minor-league outing as he rebuilds his strength, there’s a very good chance the talented 23-year-old is ready to roll at some point near August.

Smith-Shawver allowed two hits and didn’t walk a batter while striking out five. There is no Statcast data at the park, but reports are that he sat 96 mph on his four-seam fastball and touched 100 mph. He threw 34 of his 47 pitches for strikes in what was an incredibly efficient outing. The Braves will move him up to a higher level and presumably try to get him around 60 pitches next time out. Now would be the time to stash him in fantasy leagues since he could return to Atlanta in two weeks. He had a 3.86 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 22 percent strikeout rate in 44 innings for Atlanta last year. At the very least, he should be on the deep-league radar.

Smith-Shawver struck out four and threw 41 pitches (29 strikes) in his rehab debut. The 23-year-old former top pitching prospect is working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery and figures to be an option for Atlanta’s rotation at some point in late July or early August.

Smith-Shawver is expected to throw between 35 and 40 pitches. The right-hander has been sidelined all season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early June of last year. The general recovery process is about 12 to 14 months, so Smith-Shawver is right on track. We’d assume he gets sent to an affiliate at the beginning of July to continue his rehab, and he could be an option for Atlanta in August.

Smirh-Shawver has progressed to throwing high-intensity bullpen sessions and should be ready to face hitters at some point soon. The 23-year-old has been working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. He’ll need a handful of rehab starts before he’s ready to return to Atlanta’s rotation, most likely after next month’s All-Star break.

It’s a significant milestone as Smith-Shawver continues working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. The 23-year-old former top pitching prospect figures to be ready to rejoin Atlanta’s rotation mix at some point in the second half, barring any setbacks.

It’s merely a procedural move as Smith-Shawver is still in the early phase of his recovery from last year’s Tommy John surgery. The 23-year-old top prospect is likely to miss most of, if not all, of the 2026 campaign.

This was always the expectation, but now it’s official. Smith-Shawver might be able to return down the stretch next season, but his rehab would have to go swimmingly.