The writing seemed to be on the wall when AJ Smith-Shawver said something popped in his elbow after exiting Thursday afternoon’s game, and the Braves have just confirmed the worst. He has a torn UCL.
At this point, there are two routes AJ Smith-Shawver can take. Spencer Strider recently underwent InternalBrace surgery, which is quickly becoming a popular alternative to Tommy John surgery, due to the quicker turnaround. Strider was pitching off the mound around 9-10 months after his procedure, and was back with the Braves in 13 months.
If Smith-Shawver is to go that route, there’s a good chance he could return around the All-Star break next season. But if he undergoes Tommy John surgery, he will miss not only all of this year but next season as well.
The long-term health is what’s most important for a player so young. Smith-Shawver is still just 22-years-old, and he looked like he was on the way to becoming a staple of the Braves rotation. He has a ton of ball left to play, but this has unfortunately become a procedure that every young arm eventually has to undergo.
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