The Atlanta Braves have dealt with injuries up and down their pitching staff, with four coming to the starting rotation. Despite these injuries, the Braves have persevered. The Braves have the best pitching staff (3.13 ERA) and the third-best starting rotation (3.12) in Major League Baseball. The Braves’ starting rotation will soon add another arm to pair with their ace, left-hander Chris Sale, with the news that right-hander Spencer Strider will be returning.
The Atlanta Braves will have Spencer Strider back for the Colorado Rockies series
According to Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game, per manager Walt Weiss, Strider will be one of his starting pitchers when the Braves play the Colorado Rockies (May 1-3). Strider has missed the whole season thus far after suffering a left oblique strain at the tail end of spring training.
#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said that Spencer Strider will start against the Colorado Rockies this weekend. They have not set the rotation yet.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) April 28, 2026
During his three rehab outings (one in High-A and two in Triple-A), Strider pitched to a 1.42 ERA and struck out 18 in 12.2 innings. Strider also performed well in the spring, where he went 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA and had 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
Getting Strider back will further deepen an already deep Braves starting rotation. Sale looks to be back to his Cy Young form, as he is 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA and has struck out 38 in 35 innings.
The rotation has also seen right-handers Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder perform well. Holmes in six starts is 2-1 with a 3.62 ERA, while Elder is 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his six starts.
The Braves Also Received Positive Injury Updates on Other Arms
Weiss also gave updates on right-handers Hurston Waldrep (right elbow inflammation) and Spencer Schwellenbach (right elbow inflammation). According to McAuley, via Weiss, he said both are still “a ways away” from returning. McAuley notes that Weiss expects Waldrep to return sometime in June, while Schwellenbach is expected “at some point in the second half.” Right-hander Raisel Iglesias (right shoulder inflammation) also took a positive step forward in his recovery. After sleeping on his right shoulder wrong, Iglesias is back throwing and should be activated once his injured list stint is over.
Main Photo Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
