AJ Smith-Shawver is still a long way from being back on a big league mound, but Tuesday marked a real step forward. The 23-year-old Braves pitcher made his first rehab start as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, and the early returns were solid.
He threw three innings, gave up one run and struck out four. Not exactly Cy Young stuff, but for a guy who hasn’t pitched in a game since last season, it’s a good sign. He’s still on track for a return in 2026 or 2027 according to MLB.com, which means the Braves aren’t rushing him. The team has not confirmed exactly when he’ll be back, but it’s hard to see him pitching this season.
Smith-Shawver debuted in 2023 and has 16 appearances across three seasons. His ERA over that span sits at 3.77, which is respectable. The Braves were hoping he’d break out in 2025, but the elbow issue ended that before it really got going.
He’s still got potential though. He throws hard, has the frame to be a durable starter, and the Braves have been careful with him. The fact that he’s already making rehab starts this early in his recovery is encouraging. Some guys take a full year before they even get to that point.
What this means for Atlanta’s rotation
The Braves have depth in the rotation right now with Spencer Strider, Max Fried and others. But Smith-Shawver was viewed as a future piece, and this injury just delayed things. He’s still young enough that one lost season doesn’t kill his outlook. If the rehab continues on schedule, he could be competing for a rotation spot by spring training 2027 at the latest.
It’s not ideal that the Braves lost a year of development from a top prospect, but elbow surgery is so common now that teams have gotten good at managing it. The key is patience. And Atlanta has shown they’re willing to be patient with young arms.
The Braves play the Cardinals on Thursday night at 7:15 PM EST. That game obviously won’t feature Smith-Shawver, but for fans keeping an eye on the future, his rehab start was the most important news of the day.
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