It’s rotation roulette with the Atlanta Braves, and the wheel has landed on AJ Smith-Shawver.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Justin Toscano, the Braves are officially slotting in their No. 3 prospect to open the 2025 season in the starting rotation. And let’s just pause for a second here because this is a full-circle moment with a twist of irony that only baseball can serve up.
Not long ago, Smith-Shawver’s name was floating around in trade rumors. People were speculating that maybe he’s the expendable one, the prospect you deal to patch something bigger.
But fast forward to now, and with Ian Anderson traded to the Angels and Bryce Elder optioned to Triple-A, Smith-Shawver isn’t on the move—he’s moving up.
From Injury Replacement to Opening Day Starter
Smith-Shawver earned his shot the hard way. He turned in a Spring Training line of 14 innings with a 3.94 ERA—not jaw-dropping, but solid enough to show growth.
And growth is the key word here because just a season ago, he was tossed into the fire during an injury crunch and held his own. In his lone MLB start, the then-20-year-old threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, gave up just three hits, walked two, and fanned four.
He was pitching through discomfort starting in the third inning and still pushed into the fifth. That kind of grit doesn’t go unnoticed. But after that, the oblique injury sidelined him for over a month, opening the door for Spencer Schwellenbach to make a name for himself.
Schwellenbach more than proved his worth, and now both young arms are expected to hold down rotation spots together.
Braves Rotation Shakeup: Who Made the Cut?
So here’s what the Braves are rolling out for Opening Day:
- Chris Sale
- Reynaldo López
- Spencer Schwellenbach
- AJ Smith-Shawver
- Grant Holmes
It’s not what many fans would’ve predicted back in January. Bryce Elder looked like a lock. Ian Anderson was still on the roster. But trades and demotions have reshuffled the deck—and the Braves are betting on youth, power arms, and a little bit of upside risk.
Behind the scenes, the plan is flexible. Spencer Strider is expected back by the end of April, and the math gets tricky when he returns. Holmes is the logical bullpen candidate unless he comes out firing.
If Smith-Shawver stumbles early or looks like he needs more seasoning, the Braves could flip him down to Triple-A and keep Holmes in the rotation for a little longer.
The Big If That Could Change Everything
There’s a lot of “if” in this equation, and that’s part of the game this time of year. The Braves aren’t just thinking about April—they’re thinking about 162 games, postseason positioning, and long-term development. Smith-Shawver is part of that picture now, but he’ll need to show that he belongs.
What’s clear? The Braves didn’t just fill a hole. They chose to lean into upside, youth, and talent that still needs polish. AJ Smith-Shawver is getting his shot, and it’s not a cameo. If he delivers, this rotation might look much different in June than in April—but in the best way possible.
