Atlanta Braves fans are expecting the worst when it comes to the timing of a potential return for starter AJ Smith-Shawver. A promising campaign has imploded after the rookie suffered an elbow injury that has him already listed on the team's 60-day injured list. Making it all the more frustrating is the fact that Smith-Shawver appeared to be turning things around at the start when he suffered the injury. This fan base has grown all too used to the next man up mentality, and that is going to continue this season.
Already, Reynaldo Lopez has been lost from the Atlanta rotation and has now been joined by the Braves' rookie. This created an unexpected void that is going to put Bryce Elder back into the spotlight. The starter was on a nice roll before being demoted to make room for Spencer Strider's return. It was a harsh move that illustrated how well the rest of the Braves' rotation was throwing the ball.
Atlanta Braves are Once Again Forcing the Team to Trust Bryce Elder
While Elder isn't pitching at a dominating level, the last time Atlanta had the starter in the rotation, things were going extremely well. The starter had pitched six complete innings in four of his last five starts and hadn't allowed more than three earned runs in a game since April 18th against the Minnesota Twins.
Elder was the innings eater the team badly needed to replace Charlie Morton, and to help the team survive until Strider's return. Now, the team is looking to Elder not to be a short-term answer but to prove that the team shouldn't be in desperation mode to add to the position. There are a myriad of struggling teams the Braves could call to see about replacing Smith-Shawver in the rotation.
However, for at least the next weeks of the season, it is Elder's job to lose. It is an opportunity for the pitcher to seize what was once a promising career and put things back on track. For the first time in two seasons, the Braves have reason to believe Elder could bring value to the roster and give the team a consistent level of production.
This isn't to suggest the pitcher is ever going to be a dominating forcerather to point out the possibility that Elder can be what Morton was to this roster for the past three seasons. All Elder needs to do is find ways to consistently eat innings while keeping the team within reach; do this, and the starter will suddenly find his career back on track.