A positive sign for Spencer Schwellenbach returning this season

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A positive sign for Spencer Schwellenbach returning this season

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated May 12, 2026 7:21 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves injury reports — both good and bad — have been dizzying to follow. The club opened the season with a handful of players on the IL, most of whom have since returned. But every time somebody comes back, it seems another teammate goes down.

The latest example is poor Sean Murphy. Just a week after returning from major hip surgery, he’s back on the IL with a fractured middle finger, an injury expected to sideline him for 2-3 months.

But the Braves did receive some positive news on Tuesday regarding Spencer Schwellenbach. Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Schwellenbach received a positive update at his latest checkup and should resume throwing again soon.

Schwellenbach said he got a positive report from his latest checkup with the doctor last week, and should be able to start throwing soon https://t.co/TVGmmd5aAc

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) May 12, 2026

The Atlanta Braves rotation — which was supposed to be the weak link entering the season with so many arms beginning the year on the IL — has been elite through the first six weeks. And now they’ve added Spencer Strider back into the mix, who delivered his best outing since 2023 over the weekend, striking out eight Los Angeles Dodgers over six shutout innings.

If that’s the version of Strider the Braves are getting moving forward, they’re already in excellent shape. But there’s also a chance they eventually get both Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach back later this season.

Waldrep began throwing earlier this month, and a return before the All-Star break doesn’t feel out of the realm of possibility. That timeline probably feels more optimistic for Schwellenbach, but if he avoids setbacks, he could end up being a significant midseason acquisition during the second half.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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