Injuries might complicate Braves’ Trade Deadline plans

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NEW YORK -- Potential trade suitors will have interest in Cam Caminiti (MLB No. 41 prospect, Braves No. 1), Eric Hartman (MLB No. 74, Braves No. 2) and many other prospects within what has become a strong farm system.

But before suggesting who the Braves should trade before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Deadline, it’s best to look at how the departure of some of these prospects could impact Atlanta’s long-term roster depth, especially from a pitching perspective.

So, let’s just cut to the chase. It would have been a lot easier for the Braves to move some of their top pitching prospects had Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep not recently sustained injuries that could impact their respective availability beyond this season.

Should Atlanta try to trade Strider to a team that is willing to take a chance on him being an effective reliever over the next few years? The Braves would have to eat some of the $66 million he’s owed over the next three years. But if looking for a big leaguer to deal, Strider might make the most sense, as long as the medicals aren’t too concerning.

Strider exited a June 12 start against the Mets with right elbow inflammation. Atlanta announced on June 15 that he would be further evaluated in four weeks. But as of Wednesday morning, the club said there was no update. The same goes for Waldrep, who was scheduled to be evaluated after right elbow discomfort forced him to exit a Triple-A start on July 19.

No news is good news? Not in these cases. While there has never been an official update for Strider, the scuttlebutt over the past six weeks has been that he likely won’t pitch again this year, at least as a starting pitcher.

Will he ever be a starter again? Would it be best to just use him as a reliever once he returns to health? These are the questions that are being asked as we await answers.

Waldrep hit 99 mph during his first live batting practice in Spring Training and underwent surgery a week later to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow. He then threw 29 innings over multiple Minor League and Major League appearances before being shut down again this month.

Two separate elbow ailments within a few months of each other is certainly concerning. How’s that for a transition to Spencer Schwellenbach, who is at least scheduled to accelerate his rehab and recovery this week. It’s been more than a year since a fractured right elbow forced him to miss the final three months of 2025. His bid to be part of this year’s Opening Day roster ended a few days before the start of Spring Training, when he felt discomfort caused by bone spurs in his right elbow.

So, what might future Braves rotations look like? Here is a look at current candidates:

Current rotation

Chris Sale -- Signed through 2027 with a $30 million option for 2028, when he’ll be 39 years old.
Bryce Elder -- Controllable through 2029.
AJ Smith-Shawver -- Controllable through 2031.
Reynaldo López -- Signed through 2027.
Grant Holmes -- Controllable through 2030.
Martín Pérez -- Free agent after this season.

Quick thought: There are no guarantees in the currently injury-marred pitching world. But Sale, Elder and Smith-Shawver seem to be the best candidates from this bunch to still be part of Atlanta’s rotation in 2028.

On the horizon

Didier Fuentes -- Could transition back to a starting role next season.
JR Ritchie -- By next year, he should look more prepared than he has in seven big league starts this year.
Owen Murphy -- His big league appearances this year indicated he’s still at least a year away from becoming ready to be a mainstay in Atlanta’s rotation.
Cam Caminiti and Briggs McKenzie -- Pair of 19-year-olds who might not be mainstays until 2029.
Herick Hernandez -- Command has been an issue in his first three starts at the Triple-A level. But the 32.5 percent strikeout rate he produced at Double-A makes him an intriguing 2027 option for Atlanta or a trade suitor.

Final thoughts: Strider might not make another start for the Braves, but I would take the chance that Schwellenbach is available by 2027 and Waldrep by at least '28. All we can do is guess for now. But if you project Sale, Elder, Schwellenbach, Smith-Shawver and possibly Holmes to be rotation options over the next couple of seasons, you can confidently part ways with two of the pitching prospects listed above.

Fuentes would be my only untouchable in the entire system. Hartman has had a couple of great months, but Fuentes’ arm is something special. Wait, wasn’t I writing the same thing about Strider’s arm a few years ago? Scratch that. Nobody is untouchable.