MILWAUKEE -- The Braves announced Monday that AJ Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
It was previously unknown if Smith-Shawver would need the full Tommy John surgery, as that wouldn’t be determined until his elbow was examined during the procedure, which was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Tex.
Smith-Shawver will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker didn’t have a specific return timetable to relay before Monday night’s series opener against the Brewers at American Family Field, but given the general recovery timeline for the surgery, Smith-Shawver should miss at least the first two months of 2026 and potentially more.
“Now, he starts the long road of the rehab,” Snitker said. “Everything went well, and you're usually a year away from getting back out there. Hopefully, he has a very successful recovery.”
The 22-year-old right-hander had been having a strong campaign, posting a 2.33 ERA through his first seven starts before giving up seven runs in three innings to the Nationals on May 22. His next start came against the Phillies on May 29, and he exited after just 2 2/3 innings with the injury.
Though it’s unclear when exactly it occurred, the first signs of discomfort seemed to begin during Philadelphia shortstop Trea Turner’s third-inning plate appearance. An MRI exam then revealed the torn UCL.
With Reynaldo López also on the 60-day injured list (right shoulder inflammation), Smith-Shawver’s absence currently leaves the Braves with a rotation of Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder.
There’s a chance López could return to pitch before the end of the year -- though he won’t be re-evaluated until around the All-Star break -- which would be a boost to Atlanta’s overall pitching depth. But as for Smith-Shawver, the Braves may have to wait until 2027 to get back their former top prospect.
“He came upon it like he was starting to get confidence in himself and his stuff,” Snitker said of Smith-Shawver’s pre-injury performance. “We saw more stuff, and just the pitchability and everything was what you expect of a young guy when he gets out there and he gets confidence.
“It's a shame. I hate it, because I think he was really having a really good time and enjoying competing. He's got a nice career ahead of him. This is just a little setback. He's still a very young player, and he'll have a really good career.”