Braves Finalize Starting Pitching Rotation Ahead of Opening Day

After Sale and López, Atlanta’s starting pitching situation is unclear. 2023 All-Star Spencer Strider pitched just two games in 2024 due to season-ending elbow surgery. Strider will start the season on the 15-day injured list as he continues his recovery, the team announced Tuesday.

Spencer Schwellenbach earned the No. 3 spot in Atlanta’s rotation after a strong spring, highlighted by an impressive performance against the New York Yankees on March 19. Schwellenbach made his MLB debut last year after starting the season with the High-A Rome Emperors. He made the most of his quick rise to the major leagues, starting in 21 games and posting a 3.35 ERA.

AJ Smith-Shawver will start the series finale on Sunday in San Diego after earning the fourth spot in the rotation. Smith-Shawver spent much of last season with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers and made just one appearance with the Braves in 2024. The 22-year-old Smith-Shawver is relatively unproven, as he only has 29.2 major league innings under his belt. He will have a chance to prove he belongs at this level and solidify his spot in Atlanta’s rotation.

The last spot in the rotation was truly up for grabs, but Atlanta landed on long-time minor leaguer Grant Holmes to open the year. Holmes spent ten years in the minor leagues before being called up by the Braves in 2024. He mostly came out of the bullpen, but made seven starts for Atlanta last year. Holmes will start the first game of Atlanta’s series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 31.

While the Braves have an elite pair at the top of their rotation, the bottom three remain question marks. Schwellenbach and Smith-Shawver are intriguing young pitchers and Holmes brings a decade of minor league experience to the club, but all three are relatively inexperienced at the major league level. The trio will have a chance to solidify their spots in Atlanta's rotation before Strider’s return.