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Braves' Spencer Schwellenbach: Will not return in first half
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday that Schwellenbach (elbow) has yet to begin a throwing program and will not make his season debut until after the All-Star break, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
Schwellenbach underwent surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. The right-hander is making good progress, per Weiss, but there's no word yet on when he will be cleared for throwing. Schwellenbach was also sidelined for the final three months of the 2025 campaign with a small fracture in his elbow, so the club is proceeding extra cautiously with the hurler's rehab.
Atlanta announced that Schwellenbach underwent a procedure Wednesday to remove bone spurs from his right elbow, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
The team hasn't issued a timeline for Schwellenbach's return, but manager Walt Weiss said that he's hopeful that the 25-year-old right-hander will be able to pitch at some point in 2026. At the very least, Schwellenbach will miss the first two months of the season after Atlanta placed him on its 60-day injured list last week. Atlanta's rotation is already being tested in the early stages of the season; Hurston Waldrep (elbow) is slated to undergo a similar procedure as Schwellenbach on Monday, and AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) is unlikely to be available until late in the second half after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.
Braves' Spencer Schwellenbach: Arthroscopic elbow surgery possible
Rotowire
Schwellenbach said Wednesday that he could require arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Schwellenbach is already required to miss the first two months of the season after being placed on the 60-day injured list Tuesday, and a scope on his elbow would likely extend that absence. The right-hander was also sidelined for the final three months of the 2025 campaign with a small fracture in his elbow. It's unclear when a decision about surgery will be made, but it should be soon.
