AJ SMITH-SHAWVER NEWS

Named Game 1 starter Smith-Shawver will start Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Padres, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Impact With a doubleheader Monday and Chris Sale (back) unavailable, Atlanta's options for Game 1 were limited. Smith-Shawver made just one regular-season start with the big club, tossing 4.2 frames back in May versus the Cubs. Atlanta no doubt will have Smith-Shawver on a very short leash Tuesday.

OCTOBER 1 • ROTOWIRE

On wild-card roster Atlanta recalled Smith-Shawver from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Impact Smith-Shawver will be part of the club's wild-card series roster against the Padres and he and Bryce Elder are the candidates to draw the start in Game 1. The young right-hander has made just one start with the big club this season, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings versus the Cubs back in May.

OCTOBER 1 • ROTOWIRE

Option for Game 1 Smith-Shawver could start Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Padres on Tuesday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Impact Bowman notes that Bryce Elder and Ian Anderson are two other options for Atlanta in Game 1, and it seems the club is content with keeping its pitching plans behind closed doors until closer to first pitch. Smith-Shawver made one start during the regular season, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings May 23 against the Cubs.

OCTOBER 1 • ROTOWIRE

Optioned to Gwinnett Atlanta optioned Smith-Shawver to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.

Impact Just one day after returning from the 15-day IL, Smith-Shawver will now head back to the minors without making an appearance for the big-league team. He threw 4.1 scoreless innings during his lone appearance with Atlanta on May 23, though he's posted a 6.10 ERA in eight starts in the minors. Dylan Lee will come up from Triple-A to fill Smith-Shawver's spot in the bullpen.

JULY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Rejoining Atlanta as reliever Atlanta plans to activate Smith-Shawver (oblique) from the 15-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game in Arizona, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Smith-Shawver had been slated to make his second rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Gwinnett, but he will rejoin the big club instead to offer length in the bullpen. The young right-hander struck out four and allowed one run over two innings in his lone rehab appearance last week with High-A Rome. Smith-Shawver went 4.1 shutout frames in his lone start this season for Atlanta back in late May before exiting with a strained oblique.

JULY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Cleared for rehab assignment Smith-Shawver (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Rome on Wednesday.

Impact Smith-Shawver was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain back in late May but has been cleared to return to game action. The young right-hander should be an option for Atlanta's rotation shortly after the All-Star break if all goes well, although it's possible he'll remain in the minors rather than rejoin the major-league club.

JULY 3 • ROTOWIRE

Braves place RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (oblique) on IL The Atlanta Braves placed right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a strained left oblique muscle.Atlanta rec...

MAY 24 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Braves' top prospect Smith-Shawver impresses in MLB return CHICAGO -- If you accounted for how little AJ Smith-Shawver had pitched in high school, it was unreasonable to expect him to taste immediate...

MAY 23 • MLB.COM

Jarred Kelenic homers, AJ Smith-Shawver works 4 1/3 strong innings as Braves top Cubs 3-0

Jarred Kelenic hit a solo homer, rookie AJ Smith-Shawver worked 4 1/3 three-hit innings in his first start of the season and the Atlanta Braves topped the Chicago Cubs 3-0

MAY 23 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Recalled ahead of Thursday's start Atlanta recalled Smith-Shawver from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

Impact Manager Brian Snitker previously confirmed after Wednesday's 9-2 win that Smith-Shawver would start Thursday's game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The young right-hander holds a 6.10 ERA and 1.52 WHIP this season with Gwinnett and has posted a 7.43 ERA and allowed six home runs over his last three starts. Given those results, fantasy managers would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Smith-Shawver, but the 21-year-old should have an opportunity to make additional starts for Atlanta if he pitches well Thursday.

MAY 23 • ROTOWIRE

Starting Thursday Smith-Shawver will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Thursday's game against the Cubs, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Smith-Shawver will be making his first big-league start of 2024 on Thursday after logging a 6.10 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through 31 innings across eight starts in Triple-A. He appeared in six games for Atlanta last season with mixed results, though he could find some success against a Cubs offense that ranks 10th in the National League with a .683 OPS.

MAY 23 • ROTOWIRE

AJ Smith-Shawver helps Stripers earn Gwinnett's 1,000th win Braves pitching prospect AJ Smith-Shawver allowed one run over 4 2/3 innings in his best start of the season to lead the Gwinnett Stripers t...

APRIL 17 • AJC.COM

AJ Smith-Shawver's reaction to being optioned, why many starters went to Lakeland LAKELAND, Fla. — This week, Brian Snitker and other coaches called AJ Smith-Shawver into the office and told him the club was optioning him.

MARCH 15 • AJC.COM

Braves option top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver to minor league camp

The Atlanta Braves have optioned top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver to Triple-A Gwinnett, moving closer to settling on their pitching staff for opening day

MARCH 11 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sent down to Triple-A Smith-Shawver was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Monday.

Impact Smith-Shawver finished with an 8.22 ERA in three Grapefruit League starts but also boasted an 11:2 K:BB across 7.2 innings of work. The young right-hander was always pegged for Gwinnett's rotation to open the season but should wind up making a good number of starts with the big club in 2024.

MARCH 11 • ROTOWIRE

Smith-Shawver's goal for '24: 'Keep getting better' TAMPA -- For a prospect, it might be hard to imagine a better year than AJ Smith-Shawver had in 2023, which he began with High-A Rome and fi...

MARCH 10 • MLB.COM

Part of NLDS roster Smith-Shawver will be on Atlanta's roster for the NLDS against the Phillies, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Impact Spencer Strider, Max Fried and Bryce Elder are locked in as the NLDS starters for the NL East champions, but Smith-Shawver can be a piggyback option if any of those three face early trouble. The 20-year-old right-hander registered a 4.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 20:11 K:BB over his first 25.1 major-league innings during the regular season.

OCTOBER 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Solid in short start Smith-Shawver allowed one run on one walk and struck out two over 3.2 hitless innings in a no-decision versus the Cubs.

Impact Smith-Shawver was piggybacked by Kyle Wright. The only run Smith-Shawver allowed came in the first inning as the Cubs were able to scrape together a scoring play with small ball. The 20-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 4.26 with a 1.11 WHIP and 20:11 K:BB over 25.1 innings across six big-league outings (five starts). He could be sent back to Triple-A Gwinnett if Atlanta wants to replenish its pitching depth for this weekend's series against the Nationals.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Summoned for Thursday's start Smith-Shawver was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

Impact Smith-Shawver will get a start Thursday against the Cubs as Atlanta goes for the sweep. The 20-year-old right-hander holds a 4.57 ERA and 1.25 WHIP through 21.2 innings in the big leagues. He could be sent back to the minors immediately after Thursday's outing.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Will start Thursday Smith-Shawver will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Thursday against the Cubs, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Impact Thursday's start will be Smith-Shawver's first appearance in the majors since late July, when he surrendered three runs over five innings against the Brewers. On the season, he holds a 4.57 ERA and 1.25 WHIP through 21.2 innings in the big leagues, and he will likely return to Triple-A immediately after making his start.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Optioned to Triple-A Smith-Shawver was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.

Impact Smith-Shawver's latest stint in the majors lasted just a couple days and he did not make an appearance. Atlanta has swapped him out in favor of Jared Shuster.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

David O'Brien: Right-handers Allan Winans and AJ Smith-Shawver... - The Athletic Right-handers Allan Winans and AJ Smith-Shawver were recalled by the Braves — Winans will start Sunday vs. Pittsburgh — and lefty Dylan Dodd...

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Rejoins big club Smith-Shawver was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.

Impact The 20-year-old returned from the injured list at Gwinnett last weekend but lasted just two-thirds of an inning, and it appears his next outing will come in the majors. Smith-Shawver started in four of his five appearances for Atlanta this season, but he may work out of the bullpen this time around with Allan Winans taking the mound Sunday against the Pirates.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Makes return from Triple-A IL Smith-Shawver (shoulder) was reinstated from Triple-A Gwinnett's 7-day injured list Sunday and recorded two outs while allowing one run on one hit and three walks in his start duri...

Impact After being placed on Gwinnett's IL on Aug. 23 with right shoulder inflammation, Smith-Shawver returned in close to the minimum seven days, but he didn't look sharp Sunday. He spotted just 12 of his 31 pitches for strikes before being pulled from the contest midway through the first inning. Gwinnett may have planned on having Smith-Shawver handle a light workload in his first start back from the IL, so his early exit Sunday isn't necessarily indicative of a setback with his shoulder.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

On IL with shoulder inflammation Smith-Shawver is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Gwinnett with right shoulder inflammation, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact He was placed on the IL Aug. 23, retroactive to Aug. 21. Smith-Shawver is Atlanta's top prospect and he reached the majors this season as a 20-year-old starting pitching prospect, which is a rare feat. With Kyle Wright (shoulder) amid a rehab assignment, Darius Vines and Jared Shuster could be short-term options for spot starts at the big-league level.

AUGUST 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE