The Atlanta Braves continue to experience frustrating setbacks—progress feels fleeting as injuries pile up. Just when it seems things can’t get worse, they do, almost like clockwork. The latest blow: A.J. Smith-Shawver, whose breakout season has been derailed by a torn UCL. He now faces a lengthy recovery, whether through Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure.
That leaves Atlanta with just four healthy starting pitchers, one of whom is Spencer Strider—who hasn’t managed more than a couple of consistent outings in over a year. Meanwhile, top pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep is struggling in Triple-A, leaving the Braves with increasingly limited internal options.
GM Alex Anthopoulos is all but certain to explore trade opportunities soon, but landing a front-line starter is unlikely. What the team truly needs is depth—not just quality arms, but enough of them. That also means hanging on to what little rotation depth they have.
Eric Cole of FanSided’s House That Hank Built recently wrote about why Bryce Elder might be on the trading block.
“Assuming Elder performs reasonably well in Triple-A, the Braves should at least entertain trade offers,” Cole argues. “With Strider healthy and the rotation somewhat stabilized, Elder—who hasn’t even reached arbitration—could bring back more value than some might expect.”
While that’s a fair take—Elder is a middle-of-the-pack starter, and his stock likely won’t climb much higher—I’d argue the Braves simply can’t afford to trade him right now.
Smith-Shawver’s injury changes the calculus significantly, and Elder suddenly looks nearly indispensable. Although currently in Triple-A, he’s a prime candidate to be the first called up to replace the injured arm.
Adding to his appeal is Elder’s contract status—he’s not arbitration-eligible until 2027—making him a cost-effective option for the foreseeable future. Yes, he might bring some return in a trade, but no team is handing over a proven postseason arm or top prospects for him.
Elder has posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across eight starts this season—nothing flashy, but reliable. And reliability is in short supply in Atlanta’s rotation right now. Even as a temporary fifth starter, Elder has value. If the Braves add another arm at the deadline, they’re still just one injury away from another crisis. Elder offers insurance, whether he’s spot-starting in place of Smith-Shawver or staying sharp in Triple-A.
While his 2023 All-Star appearance may not signal long-term stardom, Elder is still just 26 and has shown he can hold his own in the majors. Though he can get hit hard at times, he induces a lot of groundballs and maintains decent control (ranking in the 84th percentile in groundball rate and 67th in walk rate).
Until the Braves secure more trustworthy arms, Elder should stay put. He’s a valuable depth piece who could be needed at any moment. And with the rotation already in crisis mode, trading him now would be a risky move Anthopoulos can’t afford. The Atlanta Braves continue to experience frustrating setbacks—progress feels fleeting as injuries pile up. Just when it seems things can’t get worse, they do, almost like clockwork. The latest blow: A.J. Smith-Shawver, whose breakout season has been derailed by a torn UCL. He now faces a lengthy recovery, whether through Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure.
That leaves Atlanta with just four healthy starting pitchers, one of whom is Spencer Strider—who hasn’t managed more than a couple of consistent outings in over a year. Meanwhile, top pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep is struggling in Triple-A, leaving the Braves with increasingly limited internal options.
GM Alex Anthopoulos is all but certain to explore trade opportunities soon, but landing a front-line starter is unlikely. What the team truly needs is depth—not just quality arms, but enough of them. That also means hanging on to what little rotation depth they have.
Eric Cole of FanSided’s House That Hank Built recently wrote about why Bryce Elder might be on the trading block.
“Assuming Elder performs reasonably well in Triple-A, the Braves should at least entertain trade offers,” Cole argues. “With Strider healthy and the rotation somewhat stabilized, Elder—who hasn’t even reached arbitration—could bring back more value than some might expect.”
While that’s a fair take—Elder is a middle-of-the-pack starter, and his stock likely won’t climb much higher—I’d argue the Braves simply can’t afford to trade him right now.
Smith-Shawver’s injury changes the calculus significantly, and Elder suddenly looks nearly indispensable. Although currently in Triple-A, he’s a prime candidate to be the first called up to replace the injured arm.
Adding to his appeal is Elder’s contract status—he’s not arbitration-eligible until 2027—making him a cost-effective option for the foreseeable future. Yes, he might bring some return in a trade, but no team is handing over a proven postseason arm or top prospects for him.
Elder has posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across eight starts this season—nothing flashy, but reliable. And reliability is in short supply in Atlanta’s rotation right now. Even as a temporary fifth starter, Elder has value. If the Braves add another arm at the deadline, they’re still just one injury away from another crisis. Elder offers insurance, whether he’s spot-starting in place of Smith-Shawver or staying sharp in Triple-A.
While his 2023 All-Star appearance may not signal long-term stardom, Elder is still just 26 and has shown he can hold his own in the majors. Though he can get hit hard at times, he induces a lot of groundballs and maintains decent control (ranking in the 84th percentile in groundball rate and 67th in walk rate).
Until the Braves secure more trustworthy arms, Elder should stay put. He’s a valuable depth piece who could be needed at any moment. And with the rotation already in crisis mode, trading him now would be a risky move Anthopoulos can’t afford.