When the Atlanta Braves struck a deal for starting pitcher Erick Fedde on Sunday evening, it was not the type of trade Braves fans have grown accustom to in late July over the last eight years. Instead of bringing in that piece that could push them to front runners for the championship, Erick Fedde was brought in for one reason: to eat innings.
In a cruel twist of fate, a Braves starting rotation that looked to be one of the strongest in baseball has completely dissolved. In four months, the club somehow managed to lose every single member of the Opening Day rotation to the 60-day IL, forcing them to find any living pitcher with a pulse to just get them through the season.
A Timeline of Pain: How the Braves lost all of their starting pitching
Reynaldo Lopez lasts just one start
Despite missing the majority of the second half in 2024 after putting up an All-Star first half, the expectation was that there would not be any limitations on the righty.
The Braves lined him up to start the second game of the season, and he gutted his way through a five-inning effort, allowing three runs. The Braves went ahead and lined him up for a second start, but that plan was quickly scrapped on March 31, three days after his first start, when Atlanta announced he was going on the IL with a shoulder injury.
AJ Smith-Shawver
The Opening Day rotation would have a reprieve from injuries over the next two months, though Spencer Strider would suffer his own flukey injury when he went on the IL one start after returning from his internal brace surgrey.
Sadly, the moratorium on Opening Day rotation injuries ended on May 29, when AJ Smith-Shawver left the first game of a doubleheader against the Phillies.
The 22-year-old rookie had looked to be in the midst of a breakout season. Instead, his season was cut short when it was revealed that he had a torn UCL. His injury was also controversial, as the Phillies broadcast noticed the righty's injury the moment it happened, but the Braves were seemingly unaware until Spencer Strider alerted the staff.
Chris Sale web gem knocks lefty out for two months
CHRIS SALE GOES ALL OUT! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/NGEAjZLPEO
— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2025
After winning the 2024 Cy Young, Chris Sale struggled, at least by his standards, through the first month of the season. However, from April 30, the lefty had been among the best pitchers in baseball.
This run continued against the Mets, as he absolutely shut the rivals down, narrowly missing out on a complete game shutout. Unfortunately, going into the ninth might have cost him the bulk of his season.
Facing Juan Soto to lead off the inning, Sale got the $765 million slugger to hit a chopper. Sale ranged to his left and laid out to make a fantastic play to get the out. At the moment, Braves fans celebrated this effort. But a few days later when it was announced he had fractured his rib and would be out until at least the end of August, every fan wished he had let Soto reach on a single.
Spencer Schwellenbach ups his velocity and fractures his elbow
The baseball gods, not wanting Chris Sale to be alone in fluky pitcher fractures, were swift to take out the Braves budding ace. Just two weeks after placing Chris Sale on the IL, Atlanta announced that Spencer Schwellenbach had fractured his elbow.
According to the righty, it was a freak accident that might have coincided with an increase in velocity. Regardless of the cause, Schwellenbach's injury left the Braves Opening Day with one lone survivor: Grant Holmes.
Grant Holmes breakout season turns to heartbreak
After spending ten years in the minors before debuting, Grant Holmes established himself as a solid member of the Braves starting rotation. The Kenny Powers doppelgänger wasn't going to give the Braves an All-Star season, but he gave the Braves desperately needed innings.
After putting the third-most innings of his professional career on his arm, however, his arm gave out. The righty gave up four runs in four innings, and the Braves immediately announced after the game he would also go on the IL. When the Braves acquired Erick Fedde the following day, he was transferred to the 60-day IL, joining the other four members from the Opening Day rotation.