Braves get bad news on pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver

The Atlanta Braves got some bad news about pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver.

Smith-Shawver exited his start in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday between his Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies with an injury. Teammate Spencer Strider noticed a change with Smith-Shawver and alerted the Braves’ coaching staff, which then removed the 22-year-old pitcher from the game.

Smith-Shawver had thrown 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk. He took a no-decision.

On Friday, the Braves announced that Smith-Shawver had suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The team is unsure whether Smith-Shawver will need to undergo Tommy John reconstructive surgery or an internal brace procedure. Either procedure would cause him to miss the rest of this season and likely the first few months of next season.

Smith-Shawver had been throwing the ball extremely hard prior to tearing the ligament. He was averaging 97.1 mph on his four-seam fastballs during his start on Thursday, and he had even touched 99.6 mph on one throw. He said that he had felt a pop when the injury occurred.