Next Step Confirmed for Braves' SP Spencer Schwellenbach

The situation regarding Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach has gotten clearer.

According to MLB.com's Mark Bowman, the right-hander is down in North Port, Fla., having gone down there during the All-Star break as scheduled. He has been throwing bullpen sessions, and he's expected to throw a live batting practice before he can start a rehab assignment.

Heading into the weekend, it was unclear whether Schwellenbach was on the way. Manager Walt Weiss didn't have a clear answer to provide at the time.

If he's down there and throwing off a mound, it provides some hope that he could see action some time this season.

He last pitched for the Braves on June 28, 2025. He sustained a right elbow fracture, and he spent the remainder of the season trying to work his way back from that. Before the latest injury, he had been expected to be ready for business as usual in 2026.

Schwellenbach had to undergo a procedure on his elbow a few days into spring training, and he has been working his way back since. For the last several weeks, he had been throwing off flat ground. He started with a light toss at about 60 feet, and he slowly worked to throwing harder from a larger distance.

In 28 career starts, he has a 3.23 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP and 235 strikeouts across 234 1/3 innings pitched.

How much he'll actually be able to contribute to the Braves once he gets back is to be determined. It depends on how much time he needs and how much he is able to get stretched out during a rehab assignment.

We also have to wait and see how effective he'll be once he actually gets back. That plays a role in how much the Braves can maximize his presence. Getting anything from Schwellenbach would be a bonus, not something to be relied upon.

Keep expectations reasonable, but in theory, anything helps.

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