As pitchers and catchers gathered at the Braves’ spring training camp in North Port on Tuesday, the team received troubling news: starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach will begin the season on the 60-day injured list due to elbow inflammation. This setback is significant for Atlanta, which was already nursing concerns about its pitching staff’s durability heading into the 2025 season.
The Braves are cautiously optimistic that Schwellenbach’s injury does not involve his UCL, sparing him from major surgery. Still, his expected return is projected for late May or early June, leaving a considerable gap in the starting rotation that the team hoped to strengthen before Opening Day. The need to fill this void has become urgent, especially as other potential pitching targets like Justin Verlander have signed elsewhere and interest in free agents such as Zac Gallen remains uncertain.
Atlanta’s Current Rotation Plans without Schwellenbach
Without Schwellenbach, the Braves’ projected starting rotation features left-hander Chris Sale and right-handers Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep, Grant Holmes, and lefty Joey Wentz. Although this group offers several arms, the depth of proven durability and consistent performance is limited.
Only Bryce Elder exceeded 125 innings at the major league level last year, though his 5.30 ERA underlined inconsistency. Sale, Strider, and Holmes each pitched over 100 innings, but all have notable injury histories that cast doubt on their ability to anchor the rotation reliably. Sale’s recurring health concerns are well documented, Strider recently returned from elbow surgery with diminished effectiveness, Lopez made just a single start before shoulder surgery ended his 2024 campaign, and Holmes finished 2024 on the injured list with a partial UCL tear that might necessitate Tommy John surgery.
The reality is that the Braves’ rotation stands on fragile footing. If Strider and Lopez can regain their former strength and form, the team could field a formidable staff, but recent seasons suggest luck with health cannot be counted on. Schwellenbach’s loss compounds the instability, emphasizing the necessity for Atlanta to secure a reliable innings-eater who can provide steadiness while its star offense performs.
Free Agent Pitching Candidates for the Braves to Consider
The Braves face a pressing challenge to find a dependable starting pitcher to fill in until Schwellenbach returns, with several free agents offering varying degrees of upside and risk. Among them, Lucas Giolito stands out despite missing the entire 2024 season due to major surgery. In 2025, Giolito showed encouraging signs with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts for Boston, even if his strikeout rates declined from previous seasons. Now a year further removed from surgery, he may be on track to reclaim the performance level he demonstrated earlier in his career with the Chicago White Sox.
Giolito brings veteran savvy and the ability to manage lineups, which can be invaluable for a rotation in flux. His expected contract should be modest, likely a one-year deal where he aims to prove his health and effectiveness, providing the Braves a potentially stable, if unspectacular, option to bridge the early season.
Zac Gallen represents the most distinguished free agent starting pitcher available, having been durable in recent years and showing signs late last season of returning to the form that earned him Cy Young consideration in 2022 and 2023. However, his qualifying offer status complicates signing him due to the draft pick compensation required. Gallen is expected to seek a short-term deal that allows him to reestablish value for the next free agency cycle, a dynamic that may deter Atlanta if the cost in draft capital outweighs the benefit of a single season of service.
Another candidate is Kevin Gausman’s former teammate Chris Bassitt, who finished 2025 out of Toronto’s rotation but contributed significantly in relief during their World Series run. At 37 years old, Bassitt’s pitching arsenal and ability to induce outs could offer the Braves much-needed innings in the back end of the rotation, even though his ceiling is limited and his stuff grades as average. Still, around 160 innings at approximately a 4.00 ERA could provide welcome consistency while other starters regain form or return from injury.
Max Scherzer is an intriguing name given his decorated career, yet his age and recent injury troubles signal caution. At 41 and potentially sitting out until midseason to preserve his health, Scherzer may not fit Atlanta’s current timeline for immediate impact. While still capable on his best days, the Braves require a pitcher who can provide significant innings early, which appears unlikely given Scherzer’s current status.
Finally, Andrew Littell offers a different kind of value — relying on command and defense rather than overpowering stuff, Littell has maintained an ERA below 4.00 in most recent seasons. Although not a strikeout pitcher or big impact arm, his ability to consistently provide innings and avoid major pitfalls suits the Braves’ urgent need for stability rather than flashiness.
What the Braves’ Pitching Outlook Means for the Season Ahead
With Schwellenbach sidelined and several rotation members emerging from injuries themselves, the Braves’ pitching situation remains tenuous amid high expectations for the 2025 season. General manager Alex Anthopoulos must navigate complicated free agency decisions and weigh the balance between acquiring costly elite talent like Gallen or opting for reliable veterans willing to accept shorter-term deals.
How Atlanta addresses these rotation gaps will influence its chances to fully leverage a potent offense capable of contending in a competitive National League East. A dependable pitching staff can ease pressure and provide the consistency needed over a long season, especially as the team hopes to avoid being derailed by the very injury challenges it faces now.
The decisions made in the next few weeks could define the Braves’ early-season trajectory, with the hope that Schwellenbach’s return in late spring adds a needed boost to a rotation in desperate need of stability.
Talks are heating up for starter Zac Gallen, the best remaining free agent on the market.
Teams showing the most interest: San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 10, 2026
