One starter returns from injury, and the bug bites another. A long-term injury could spell trouble for Atlanta’s pitching staff.

Just as one starting pitcher returns to Atlanta’s rotation, it looks like the Braves are in danger of losing a different one. Spencer Strider is back on the mound after more than a year, but now AJ Smith-Shawver could be shut down after he reportedly “heard a pop” in his elbow during Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

For the time, Smith-Shawver has been placed on the 15-day IL, but manager Brian Snitker said “It doesn’t look good,” and it’s pretty clear the Braves are afraid this is a much longer-term injury than just 15 days. Smith-Shawver joins a fellow Braves pitcher, Reynaldo López, on the IL. López has shoulder surgery last month and the team hopes to see him at the end of the year, but nothing is set in stone.

Braves have some decisions to make about rotation going foward

So, now what? Down two starters and with another still throwing his way back into form, the Braves might have to make some calls.

The first one could be another call to Triple-A Gwinnett, where Bryce Elder and No. 2 Braves prospect Hurston Waldrep are currently pitching. Elder was demoted a few weeks ago to make room for Strider, and Waldrep has been there all year after a brief stint with the major league team last year.

Right now, the only corresponding move to Smith-Shawver’s injury is recalling Michael Peterson from Triple-A, but he likely won’t start for the Braves, considering he’s never started a MLB game.

I think Elder (who wasn’t awful in his 8 big league starts this year) is the obvious replacement arm here, but the Braves might go with a bullpen game in Smith-Shawver’s place until they settle on a consistent fifth starter going forward.

Waldrep played two games for Atlanta last year and got shelled in both outings, but obviously, two starts aren’t enough to make any declarations about his readiness for the bigs.

He could get the call to make some starts going forward, too, but that’s more of a “break glass in case of emergency” option. I don’t know if Atlanta has reached emergency status yet, but… they’re close.

Other than that, Atlanta’s best strategy might be… pray that Spencer Strider can start going deeper into games? Hope Chris Sale continues to go 6-plus innings every outing?

There are very few sure things in Atlanta’s rotation right now, and it’s not really their fault at all.