The Atlanta Braves, climate allowing, open a three-game sequence in opposition to the Nationwide League West cellar-dwelling Colorado Rockies on Friday at Truist Park.
The Braves have gained 4 straight coming into the sequence in opposition to the 52-82 Rockies who’re tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the worst report in baseball. The Braves will look to grab the chance to develop their five-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies within the NL East by beating up on the hapless Rockies.
However any optimistic temper was darkened earlier than the sport, when Braves supervisor Walt Weiss introduced dire information on three of Atlanta’s prime beginning pitchers multi function assertion.
Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach are each headed for brand spanking new elbow surgical procedures, and supervisor Walt Weiss mentioned Spencer Strider is unlikely to pitch once more in 2026. Weiss delivered all three updates to the media in the identical pregame assertion.
Waldrep could have Tommy John surgical procedure, and Schwellenbach could have a follow-up process after a flare-up of the elbow fracture that first sidelined him final yr, in response to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Longtime nationwide baseball author Barrett Sallee confirmed each operations and relayed Weiss’ evaluation that Strider’s return this season is unlikely.
| COLORADO ROCKIES STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Tomoyuki Sugano (RHP) • 12-7, 4.96 ERA | ||||
| August 28, 2026 • Truist Park, Atlanta, GA • 7:15 PM EDT • Rockies at Braves | ||||
| # | Participant | Pos | AVG | SLG |
| 1 | Jake McCarthy | LF | .290 | .475 |
| 2 | Cole Carrigg | CF | .265 | .448 |
| 3 | Hunter Goodman | C | .252 | .548 |
| 4 | TJ Rumfield | 1B | .289 | .441 |
| 5 | Willi Castro | 3B | .262 | .425 |
| 6 | Mickey Moniak | DH | .253 | .515 |
| 7 | Connor Norby | 2B | .224 | .366 |
| 8 | Zac Veen | RF | .200 | .480 |
| 9 | Ezequiel Tovar | SS | .210 | .338 |
| Lineups confirmed. Season stats proven (AVG / SLG). | ||||
Atlanta Braves’ Waldrep, Schwellenbach Dealing with Surgical procedure
Waldrep, Atlanta’s first-round draft pick of Florida in 2023, broke out in 2025 with a 2.88 ERA over 56 1/3 innings earlier than a February MRI discovered unfastened our bodies in his elbow. Docs initially hoped a cleanup process would settle the difficulty, however the challenge persevered. Tommy John surgical procedure usually sidelines beginning pitchers nicely into the next season, pushing Waldrep’s return outlook towards 2028.
Schwellenbach has been one of many sport’s steadier younger arms since debuting in 2024, posting a 3.23 ERA throughout 38 profession begins. He fractured his proper elbow final June, had unfastened our bodies eliminated in February and spent the summer season rebuilding arm energy, throwing bullpens by late July with a plan to face hitters and construct up, in response to MLB.com. Friday’s information means a second operation on the identical elbow, along with his path again even much less sure than it was per week in the past.
| ATLANTA BRAVES STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Grant Holmes (RHP) • 8-5, 3.64 ERA | ||||
| August 28, 2026 • Truist Park, Atlanta, GA • 7:15 PM EDT • Rockies at Braves | ||||
| # | Participant | Pos | AVG | SLG |
| 1 | Drake Baldwin | DH | .274 | .456 |
| 2 | Ozzie Albies | 2B | .256 | .418 |
| 3 | Matt Olson | 1B | .259 | .535 |
| 4 | Ronald Acuña Jr. | RF | .228 | .401 |
| 5 | Michael Harris II | CF | .292 | .487 |
| 6 | Mauricio Dubón | 3B | .268 | .390 |
| 7 | Mike Yastrzemski | LF | .227 | .380 |
| 8 | Sean Murphy | C | .188 | .292 |
| 9 | Ha-Seong Kim | SS | .088 | .088 |
| Lineups confirmed. Season stats proven (AVG / SLG). Ha-Seong Kim .088 AVG / .088 SLG displays an excessive small pattern. | ||||
Braves’ Spencer Strider Faces Lifeless Finish In 2026
Strider missed Atlanta’s first 34 video games with a strained left indirect, then made eight begins, going 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA over 39 innings. His fastball sank into the higher 80s throughout a June 13 begin on the Mets, when he allowed seven earned runs in three innings earlier than touchdown on the injured listing with right-elbow irritation.
An MRI confirmed no new ligament tear, and Dr. Keith Meister ordered 4 weeks with out throwing earlier than a follow-up scan. The warning made sense given Strider’s elbow has already survived Tommy John surgical procedure at Clemson in 2019 and an internal-brace restore in 2024, leaving little native ligament to work with.
Atlanta’s rotation for October stays Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes, Martín Pérez and AJ Smith-Shawver, who returned this yr from his personal Tommy John surgical procedure. That group has saved the Braves atop the Nationwide League East regardless of absorbing three separate long-term accidents to what was imagined to be the center of the employees.
Waldrep, Schwellenbach and Strider are now not within the 2026 image. Waldrep’s timeline factors towards 2028. Schwellenbach’s subsequent probability relies on how his bone heals and the way rapidly he can ramp again up. Strider, nonetheless below contract via 2028 with a membership possibility for 2029, is the most important title of the three, and the one whose 2027 outlook now hinges fully on an elbow that has already been rebuilt twice.
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