It’s been a season of devastating injury after devastating injury, but somehow, the Braves are keeping their heads above water. So, how about a little positive news on the injury front? According to Mark Bowman, Ian Anderson is scheduled to throw in a Florida Complex League game tomorrow.
Ian Anderson is going to throw in a Florida Complex League game in North Port tomorrow.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 18, 2024
Ian Anderson hasn’t pitched for the Braves since August of 2022, but he really hasn’t been himself since the 2021 postseason run, when he was one of the primary reasons Atlanta won its first championship as a city in the four major sports since 1995. Since then, it’s been one thing after another before it was finally revealed that he would go under the knife near the end of the 2022 campaign.
There shouldn’t be high expectations for Anderson this season. Anything he can give the Braves will be icing on the cake. With that being said, Tommy John surgery can sometimes be the best thing that happens to a young pitcher. Ian Anderson was really struggling with his stuff and various injuries before his surgery. Sometimes pitchers come back even stronger, and this can be viewed as a fresh start of sorts for a 26-year-old that already has provided some of the best starts in Braves postseason history.
Atlanta’s rotation has been the primary reason the Braves are still in the thick of the playoff race, but this is a club that’s been feverishly searching for a fifth starter for as long as I can remember. Hurston Waldrep isn’t ready. Spencer Schwellenbach has shown some promise, but he’ll have to show more consistency. Bryce Elder has tried and failed more times than I can count, and AJ Smith-Shawver is on the IL.
The good news? The Braves have tons of talented options. Adding one more to the mix can only help their chances of finding an answer. Eventually, one of these guys is going to take a stranglehold of the job and never look back.
—
Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.