Spencer Schwellenbach's rehab process was kept out of the public eye for most of the 2026 season. Atlanta Braves fans knew Schwellenbach was doing everything he could to return to the mound, but no one knew exactly how Schwellenbach was progressing. As it turns out, Schwelly kept hitting speed bumps in his rehab process, and eventually we got the bad news that dropped on Thursday.
The 26-year-old pitcher is set to undergo surgery on the same elbow he fractured in June of 2025, and the diagnosis this time around is still very cloudy. It's yet to be announced when Schwellenbach will have the surgery and what a recovery timeline would look like, but given what was reported on Saturday, Schwellenbach's 2027 is very much in jeopardy.
Braves insider Mark Bowman detailed Schwellenbach's 2026 in his latest article, and you can feel Schwellenbach's frustration as you read. Bowman described the impending surgery as a long road ahead for Schwellenbach. Sadly, that seems to be a very accurate statement.
Schwellenbach was throwing off the mound earlier this week when he felt some of the same elbow discomfort he felt just before Spring Training. After he fractured his elbow last year, the hope was to avoid surgery. The prolonged issue has left him no choice but to have a screw…
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 29, 2026
Scary details on Schwellenbach's 2026 puts the Braves in a bind for next season
Firstly, the required procedure for Schwellenbach was described as having to insert a screw to stabilize his right elbow, which sounds absolutely terrifying. It's the exact procedure the Braves medical staff wanted to avoid, back when the initial injury occurred in 2025.
Bowman listed Joel Zumaya and Jason Adam as examples of pitchers who have returned to the big league level after having a screw inserted in their elbows. However, Bowman pointed out that this type of major procedure does not guarantee Schwellenbach will return to the mound.
Some of the language used showcased what Schwellenbach was dealing with when he attempted to ramp up his throwing program this year. It was said that Schwelly was “barely able to feel his arm” after some of his bullpen sessions this summer, and he repeatedly encountered setbacks that required a couple weeks of rest.
It was reported that Schwellenbach could barely hit 90 mph back in spring training, and after the surgery to remove the bone spurs, things never got that much better. Schwellenbach was up to 94 mph in recent sessions, but he was never able to avoid feeling the discomfort created by the original elbow fracture.
Everything we learned about Schwellenbach's 2026 makes us worry about what the future holds for the young right-hander. Schwellenbach was a rising star in the sport just over a year ago, but now his future on the mound is very much on the brink. Hopefully, Schwelly can get his first dose of good news in a while when he finally undergoes this elbow procedure.
As for the Braves, it's clear their starting rotation depth is not great entering 2027. Hopefully, Alex Anthopoulos has learned his lesson about entering a season with multiple pitcher health questions and can acquire some durable talent to add to the rotation. Having Schwellenbach pitch in 2027 would be a bonus, but it's a foolish bet if you're counting on it after what we learned on Saturday.
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