Braves reveal outstanding news on AJ Smith-Shawver

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Braves reveal outstanding news on AJ Smith-Shawver

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated May 23, 2026 9:14 AM ET

There’s been several updates on Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach, two young arms the Braves are expecting back at some point this season. However, we haven’t heard much on AJ Smith-Shawver, who underwent Tommy John surgery last year.

That changed ahead of Friday’s game, as Braves manager Walt Weiss told the media that Smith-Shawver appears well ahead of schedule. He’s already throwing bullpens with high intensity, and soon he’ll be throwing to hitters, putting him in around the same spot as Hurston Waldrep, who began throwing bullpens in early May.

#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said AJ Smith-Shawver is coming along well in his rehab. He is throwing bullpens with high intensity. Next step is throwing to hitters, then they can sketch out a timeline for returning to the rotation. Hurston Waldrep is basically in the exact same step.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) May 22, 2026

From a stuff perspective, AJ Smith-Shawver has as much talent as any arm in the organization. He was the odds on favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award prior to going down last year, recording a 3.86 ERA over nine starts.

It’s always difficult to gauge just how effective a pitcher will be immediately after returning from such a severe injury, but the Braves are in a position where they don’t have to force anything with him. They can let Smith-Shawver work through things in the minors to get comfortable, and they really don’t even need him as a starting pitcher, especially if guys like Waldrep and Schwellenbach return healthy.

There will be no pressure, and it’s very possible AJ Smith-Shawver could find himself in a similar role as we’re currently seeing with Didier Fuentes, a high-powered hybrid reliever that can pitch in a variety of different situations. Those kind of arms are particularly valuable, especially when things get a lot more tense come October and starting pitchers aren’t going as deep into games.

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

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