Just as spring gets rolling, the Braves can’t seem to catch a break with their pitching. Just this Tuesday, Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who was expected to be one of Atlanta’s key starters, was placed on the 60-day injured list with inflammation in his right elbow. Now, with surgery potentially on the table, the Braves could be staring at the loss of a second starter in just five days!

Well, that’s a tough look for a team whose pitching already struggled last season, finishing with a 4.36 ERA. And so, it’s no surprise fans are starting to ask: what exactly is going wrong with the Braves’ pitchers?

“Hurston Waldrep had some elbow discomfort this week. An MRI showed loose bodies, but the ligament seemed fine. He will see Dr. Meister this week. The Braves don’t know how long he might be out,” MLB insider Mark Bowman shares via X.

Reportedly, Waldrep felt some discomfort after throwing batting practice, and according to Braves manager Walt Weiss, an MRI showed no ligament damage.

According to the latest news, the team is waiting for more answers as Waldrep undergoes additional testing. But let’s be honest, Waldrep’s injury would be yet another big hit for the Braves.

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If you remember, he made a strong impression after joining Atlanta’s rotation in August 2025.

He showed plenty of promise in 10 major-league appearances last season, nine of them starts. He went 6–1 with a 2.88 ERA, proving that he could break out as one of the team’s top starters this year. And this year, Waldrep was expected to compete for the No. 5 spot in the Braves’ rotation.

It was also reported that Waldrep had minor-league options left, and other starters like Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, and Joey Wentz don’t. Thus, the Braves might have sent him to Triple-A early just to keep roster flexibility. Now, though, it looks like the Braves need to reshuffle their plans.

Instead, the Braves now appear close to missing out on a prospect they were hoping to lean on in 2026. And among fans, the frustration is growing, especially as injuries keep piling up.

More and more, the spotlight is turning toward the coaching and fitness staff, with questions swirling about whether something deeper is contributing to all these setbacks.

Braves fans are left concerned with the recent developments

While injuries are normal in baseball, two injuries involving key players, even before the season starts, are what keep fans concerned. “This shit is so tiring, man. It has been nonstop injuries for 2 straight seasons now, bleeding into season 3,” one fan said. “The need for starting pitching grows by the day….,” another added.

Spencer Schwellenbach, with a 3.09 ERA in 2025, and Waldrep, with a 2.88 ERA, were two promising arms the Braves were poised to field this year. And what’s more surprising is that the trend has been continuing for the last few years. For example, last year the Braves dealt with injuries to Joe Jiménez, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Grant Holmes, among others.

So, expectedly, fans’ frustrations are growing with each passing day, and so is the need for starting pitchers on the team. “It’s getting less difficult to believe the Braves can have the same horrible injury luck 2 years in a row,” another user agrees.

“What is it with this team and pitching injuries. But no, they don’t need to go outside and add reinforcements,” one user wonders. “If only we sign a pitcher…,” added another.

Currently, the available arms for the Braves are Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, Joey Wentz, Bryce Elder, and Martín Pérez. But we can assume that these are not enough, considering how their injury frequency is increasing. So, what’s the next best course? For the fans, it’s still not too late to sign a new free agent or trade for a pitcher.

And just in, the Braves have proceeded enough to sign Lucas Giolito. He is coming with a 3.41 ERA from 143 innings last year, and the Braves might be landing him on a rental. However, while fans hope the news is true, we will wait until the official update comes.