Well, no one can accuse the Atlanta Braves of not saving some spring training excitement for the end of camp as fans found out on Sunday.
In addition to the trade José Suarez announced earlier, Justin Toscano among others reported that the club transferred the newly acquired Jesse Chavez, Craig Kimbrel, and James McCann to minor league camp and optioned Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Suarez joins Braves’ mainstays Dylan Lee, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, Daysbel Hernández, and closer Raisel Iglesias in the bullpen, with two slots still up for grabs, but the big news is that the rotation is now complete.
The #Braves today acquired LHP José Suarez from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for RHP Ian Anderson. The club also optioned RHP Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett and reassigned RHP Jesse Chavez, RHP Craig Kimbrel and C James McCann to minor league camp.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 23, 2025
A.J. Smith-Shawver, come on down as you’re the Braves new fifth starter
Smith-Shawver joins Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez, and Grant Holmes, completing the Braves opening-day rotation. That’s a huge step for a young man who only started pitching as a high school senior as was drafted as an overslot seventh round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.
We’ve talked about Smith-Shawver so much as he was only 20 when the Braves rushed him to Atlanta as a string of injuries hit the staff in June 2023. He performed in 25+ innings over six games and some expected him back to stay in 2024. He did return for a spot-start in May but spent most of the year fighting wildness at Gwinnett, a problem he appears to have under control (pun intended) this year.
From the first pitch this spring, his stuff looked sharper, and his control noticeably improved. His stuff sizzled in his Sunday start against the Twins when he struck out eight in his four innings without a walk. In his five games (four starts), the young righty struck out 20 batters over 16 1/3 innings and walked only four.
That’s a Wrap
Spencer Strider will return in May, but that doesn’t mean someone is automatically bumped from the rotation. The goal this year is keeping the rotation healthy for the stretch run, and while the club may not officially go to a six-man rotation, no one is going to make 32 starts, and we could see six pitchers with more than 20 starts.
So, congratulations, AJ, and have fun in your first start of the season against the Dodgers on the 31st in all likelihood.
