RADIO
Hurston Waldrep to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
According to Mark Bowman, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Waldrep had surgery in February to remove loose bodies from his elbow. He made three appearances for the Braves before heading to Triple-A Gwinnett. Waldrep suffered a setback with his elbow during his first outing back in the minors. It has been determined he'll require Tommy John surgery, which will likely knock him out until 2028. This is tough news for the 24-year-old, but hopefully he'll get healthy and back on the mound soon.
Source: Mark Bowman
Source: Mark Bowman
Spencer Strider Unlikely to Return This Season
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow) is unlikely to get back on the mound this season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. Strider has been sidelined since the middle of June due to right elbow inflammation. He has resumed throwing, but it doesn't sound like he has made enough progress to make it back to the mound this season. It's worth noting that the Braves haven't officially ruled out Strider yet, but it seems unlikely that he'll pitch again in 2026. If his season is done, Strider will finish the year with a 5.31 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and a 46/20 K/BB ratio across eight starts. Fantasy managers in redraft formats are probably safe to move on.
Source: Mark Bowman
Source: Mark Bowman
Spencer Schwellenbach to Have Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
According to Mark Bowman, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a fracture in his right elbow. Schwellenbach hasn't pitched all season after he underwent a procedure to remove bone spurs earlier this spring. It sounds like the issue didn't go away, so he'll need elbow surgery to fully repair the problem. Schwellenbach hasn't pitched in 14 months, and his status for the beginning of the 2027 season is now in doubt. Schwellenbach can safely be dropped in all redraft formats now. Hopefully, the Braves will be able to get something out of Schwellenbach next season.
Source: Mark Bowman
Source: Mark Bowman
Cam Caminiti Should Be High-Priority Stash In Dynasty Formats
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Cam Caminiti is having a nice month of August for Double-A Columbus with four starts, a 2.33 ERA, and 1.34 WHIP to go with 20 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings pitched. He does not have a decision this month. This year, he is 3-4 overall with High-A Rome with a 3.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings pitched. At age 20, Caminiti has pitched for a month at Double-A since an early-August promotion and is doing very well in showing off his upside that he has at such a young age. He is the No. 2 prospect for the Braves and possesses a 60-grade fastball with a 55-grade slider and changeup. Caminiti is progressing quickly through the minors and looks like he could make 2027 an MLB debut season. He has all the tools to be successful and should be snatched up in dynasty leagues.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Reynaldo Lopez to Begin Rehab Assignment on Sunday
Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (knee) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, according to Chad Bishop. Lopez has been out since late July due to left knee inflammation. It's unclear at the moment how many rehab appearances he'll need before rejoining the Braves. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers should expect Lopez to be back in the mix in September. His fantasy value will be dependent on whether he returns as a starting pitcher or reliever. This season, Lopez owns a 3.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 66/29 K/BB ratio across 24 games (11 starts) with the Braves. Fantasy managers in deep leagues could stash Lopez as a helpful option down the stretch of the season.
Source: Chad Bishop
Source: Chad Bishop
Tyler Mahle Emerging as a Waiver-Wire Target Amidst Current Surge
Since being acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle has gotten hot on the mound. Across 18 2/3 innings (three starts) for the Braves, Mahle has allowed just three earned runs while recording 19 strikeouts. The 31-year-old's overall line for the season isn't great, as he's recorded a 4-10 record with a 4.53 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 113 1/3 innings (21 starts). However, Mahle is now in a much better position to rack up wins following the move to Atlanta, and pitching for a contender may have been the jolt he needed to revitalize his 2026 campaign. Mahle had an extended stretch of high-end production as recently as 2025, when he pitched to a 2.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 86 2/3 innings (16 starts) with the Texas Rangers. As a matchup-dependent streamer, fantasy managers should consider Mahle on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
AJ Smith-Shawver to Start on Wednesday Against Twins
The Atlanta Braves will start right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It will be only Smith-Shawver's second start in the big leagues this year after returning from Tommy John surgery. His first start with Atlanta in 2026 came on July 29 against the division-rival New York Mets, when he allowed two earned runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four in only 4 1/3 innings for a no-decision. The 23-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2021 has fared better in seven minor-league starts (28 2/3 innings) this year with Single-A Augusta and Triple-A Gwinnett, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 34:9 K:BB. Whether Smith-Shawver sticks around in Atlanta for more starts going forward could depend on how he does in his start on Wednesday against the Twins. In his first three years in the big leagues, Smith-Shawver posted a 3.77 ERA (4.79 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 34 walks in 74 innings across 16 outings (15 starts). UPDATE: Smith-Shawver is expected to stay in Atlanta's rotation behind his start on Wednesday.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Gabe Burns
Cam Caminiti Promoted To Double-A
Atlanta Braves pitching prospect Cam Caminiti has been promoted to the Double-A Columbus Clingstones. Caminiti was 3-4 at High-A Rome with a 3.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. He had 93 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings pitched before his promotion to Double-A. The 19-year-old left-handed pitcher is the top overall prospect in Atlanta's system and was a first-round pick in the draft out of high school in Arizona. Caminiti has a 60-grade fastball and two 55-grade secondary pitches in his slider and changeup. The promotion to Double-A at the age of 19 is a great sign for Caminiti and the Braves, but it could be a year or two before fantasy managers see Caminiti paying off for fantasy teams in the big leagues. He is a great dynasty league stash but in redraft leagues, Caminiti can probably be left safely on the waiver wire.
Source: MILB Central
Source: MILB Central
Braves Acquire Starting Pitcher Tyler Mahle From the Giants
The Atlanta Braves acquired right-hander Tyler Mahle from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in exchange for pitcher Anthony Molina, sources familiar with the deal told Robert Murray of FanSided. Mahle will move to the National League East after going a disappointing 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA (4.38 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 37 walks in 94 2/3 innings across 18 starts in 2026 in his first year with San Francisco. He will bring a veteran presence to Atlanta's starting rotation and will immediately help replace right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (knee), who was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday. Mahle has been extremely hit or miss for fantasy managers in deeper leagues this year, and although he struck out a season-high nine batters on Saturday in San Diego against the division-rival Padres, he also allowed five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings for a no-decision. In four starts (22 1/3 frames) in July, Mahle was decent with a 2.82 ERA, six walks, and 16 strikeouts. Fantasy managers in most mixed leagues can continue to ignore him, but his value should increase with the move to the first-place Braves. Mahle is rostered in only 6% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: FanSided - Robert Murray
Source: FanSided - Robert Murray
Spencer Schwellenbach Aiming to Return in September
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) has been successfully throwing bullpen sessions at the team's Spring Training complex and will continue to do so next week. His velocity has yet to reach the level it did last year, when he averaged 97.1 mph on his fastball, but neither he nor the team is concerned about that. In fact, Schwellenbach believes that once he begins pitching in games, his velocity will return to where it was last season when he was healthy. As it stands, he will fly back to Florida to continue his recovery, with the hope of beginning a rehab assignment in late August. Given that timeline, there is a window for him to return to the Braves in time for the final two to three weeks of the season. It is also worth mentioning that it has yet to be determined whether he will return as a starter or in a relief role. Despite his limited projected availability and the possibility of a role change, his fantasy relevance is still notable, since his upside is high enough to warrant a stash in most fantasy leagues, especially since his return could coincide with the fantasy baseball playoffs.
Source: Mark Bowman
Source: Mark Bowman
It's Time To Stash AJ Smith-Shawver
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) is set to make one more rehab start this week for Triple-A Gwinnett after throwing 86 pitches in his most recent outing on Thursday. The 23-year-old has been impressive during his rehab assignment, recording 21 strikeouts over 17.2 innings while posting a 1.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. The expectation is that this upcoming start will be his final one before being activated by the Braves, allowing fantasy managers to add him now before his value rises. Smith-Shawver has shown success in the past, posting a 3.86 ERA with a 22.0% strikeout rate in 2025 before suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in June 2025. Now that he is on the verge of returning to Atlanta, he could be a prime candidate to replace the struggling Reynaldo López, who has allowed nine earned runs over his last two starts.
Source: Ian Quillen
Source: Ian Quillen
Ronald Acuna Jr. Unlikely to Rejoin Braves This Weekend
It now appears unlikely that Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) will come off the 10-day injured list to join the team for their series this weekend in Baltimore against the Orioles, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Acuna was expected to play in his final minor-league rehab game with Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, but the Stripers' game was postponed due to inclement weather, and manager Walt Weiss said that Acuna could play both games of the twin bill with Gwinnett on Saturday. The most likely scenario now is that the Braves give Acuna the day off on Sunday before activating him for Monday's series opener in New York against the division-rival Mets. The 28-year-old Venezuelan and former MVP has been on the IL twice this year due to left-hamstring strains, which is why his counting stats are down in 2026. Acuna is hitting just .251 (49-for-195) with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and 31 runs scored in his 195 at-bats, but he can be a difference-maker for fantasy managers down the stretch if he stays healthy.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Chad Bishop
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Chad Bishop
Chris Sale Strikes Out 11 in 11th Win on Thursday Over Padres
Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale continued his excellent 2026 season in Thursday's 6-5 win over the visiting San Diego Padres in the series finale at Truist Park. Sale allowed three earned runs (all in the second inning) on five hits while walking one and striking out a season-high 11 batters in six innings to earn his 11th win of the year and drop his season ERA to 2.19, which is the second-lowest in the majors. The 37-year-old veteran southpaw, former Cy Young winner, and 10-time All-Star has managed to stay healthy in his 16th year in the big leagues and now has a 1.05 WHIP with 134 strikeouts and 26 walks across 111 innings pitched and 19 starts. Sale will be a no-brainer must-start (as he always is) in his next scheduled outing against the last-place New York Mets. In his first meeting with the Mets on the Fourth of July, he won his ninth game, allowing three earned runs while walking two and striking out only three in five innings of work.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Reynaldo Lopez Is Now a Matchup Play After Another Rough Start
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez took another hit Tuesday, July 21, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to San Diego. He did strike out six, but Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado both took him deep. Lopez now owns a 3.95 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts over 66 innings. St. Louis had already tagged him for four runs over five innings in his previous start, leaving nine earned runs and 14 hits across the last two. Atlanta is still using Lopez in the rotation, though he has not completed more than five innings since moving back into that role June 26. Lopez is on 24% of Yahoo rosters, and RotoBaller has dropped him to its 15-team range. The SP/RP eligibility helps. In standard mixed leagues, he is now a matchup play rather than someone who needs to be held.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
AJ Smith-Shawver a Priority Waiver-Wire Stash Ahead of Impending Return
Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) has yet to pitch in the big leagues in 2026 as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in June 2025. However, the 23-year-old began a minor league rehab assignment in late June and has now made four appearances in the minors, with his two most recent starts coming at Triple-A. Smith-Shawver has pitched well in his rehab outings, recording a 1.98 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP with 16 strikeouts across 13 2/3 innings. Before getting injured last season, the hard-throwing right-hander recorded a 3-2 record with a 3.86 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings (nine starts). With Braves left-hander Martin Perez (forearm) landing on the injured list in early July due to a forearm contusion, Smith-Shawver should immediately have a role in the Atlanta rotation once he's ready to return to the big leagues. Particularly in deeper leagues, fantasy managers should look to stash Smith-Shawver off the waiver wire ahead of his impending return.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
