Should Braves Consider Trading SP Bryce Elder?

Despite not re-signing Max Fried or Charlie Morton, the Atlanta Braves have proven to have plenty of starting pitcher depth this season. Even with Reynaldo López and Spencer Strider having only made one start each in 2025, the Braves are eighth in the MLB with a 3.68 starters ERA.

With Strider set to return next week, Atlanta has too many starting pitchers. The Braves optioned Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

Elder hasn't been an elite pitcher this season, but he's provided solid starting depth. In eight starts, he's recorded a 4.50 ERA and 1.250 WHIP in 44 innings.

He also has an All-Star pedigree. Two years ago, Elder earned a National League All-Star nomination with a very strong first half of the season.

With a full Braves rotation that now includes rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, baseball pundits have wondered the last couple days whether Elder could be most valuable as a trade chip for Atlanta going forward.

However, there's a couple reasons why it's premature to argue the Braves should trade Elder.

For one, Strider has yet to actually return and prove he can stay healthy. Braves Country was extremely excited for his last return in April, and rightfully so, based on how he mowed down competition in rehab games.

But a few days after his first MLB start, Strider suffered a hamstring injury that's sidelined him for roughly a month.

Manager Brian Snitker called it a fluke. I'm not going to debate that. It's just difficult to argue given Strider's recent injury history that the Braves shouldn't have a backup plan in case he has another 2025 stint on the injured list.

Strider has now made just three MLB starts in the past 14 months. He started twice last season before needing elbow surgery, which ruled him out for a full year.

The Braves appeared not to value pitching depth when they allowed Fried and Morton leave in free agency this past offseason. Then, the team parted with Ian Anderson after Spring Training. That's seemingly a reason now why the Braves could trade Elder.

But it's not that the Braves didn't value starting pitcher depth; it's that they trusted different depth than the fan base believed before the season. Elder (and AJ Smith-Shawver) was included in that depth of trust.

It's widely believed Smith-Shawver has turned the corner and will be a mainstay now in Atlanta's rotation. He owns a 1.50 ERA in his past 30 MLB innings.

I'm not predicting otherwise. But it wouldn't be shocking if he didn't pitch at an All-Star level for the rest of 2025. Case in point -- Elder, who posted a 5.11 ERA in 13 starts after the 2023 All-Star Break.

Presumably, the Braves would trade Elder for a bat to help their offense. Although Atlanta has won five of its last seven games, the team's offense has averaged just four runs per game.

But without Elder, the Braves would be betting on Strider staying healthy and Smith-Shawver continuing to pitch well the entire season. Not to mention, Grant Holmes, who has already started a career-high eight games, keeping his current pace and Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach staying healthy too.

It's great to see the MLB rumor mill turning out content that the Braves will be buyers. That speaks to how well the team is playing since starting the season 0-7.

But it's too early to shop Elder on the trade market. The Braves are likely to need him again at some point this season.