In a situation few expected coming into the season — especially with four starting pitchers on the IL — the Atlanta Braves rotation might quickly find itself with an unusual problem: too many viable options.

Reynaldo López has already been moved to the bullpen due to the emergence of JR Ritchie. The Braves are calling it a temporary switch, but unless injuries pop up or someone begins to struggle, it’s not going to get any easier for him to work his way back — especially with more arms on the horizon.

Spencer Strider is set to return this weekend, with his season debut lined up for Sunday, and Hurston Waldrep is officially on the comeback trail, eyeing a return in June. Even if Spencer Schwellenbach and AJ Smith-Shawver don’t make it back this season — which, at the moment, feels like a real possibility — this still sets up heavy competition among a crowded group.

Braves Potential Rotation Options

• Chris Sale
• Spencer Strider
• Grant Holmes
• Reynaldo Lopez
• Bryce Elder
• Hurston Waldrep
• JR Ritchie
• Didier Fuentes
• Martin Perez

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Outside of Chris Sale and Strider, everything feels up in the air. You can make a case for just about everyone on that list, but the most intriguing development might be Bryce Elder.

It’s still hard to fully define who Elder is at this point. He burst onto the scene early in his career, even making an All-Star team in 2023, but from the second half of that season through 2025, he was among the least effective starters in the league.

Coming into 2026, out of options, it felt as if a DFA announcement was looming at some point this season. But with injuries opening the door, no one has taken better advantage than the former fifth-round pick out of Texas.

Through his first seven starts, Elder owns a 1.88 ERA — and unlike his 2023 run, where the underlying metrics hinted at significant regression, the advanced numbers this season suggest something much more sustainable:

• Pitching Run Value (98th percentile)
• Fastball Run Value (93rd percentile)
• Breaking Run Value (91st percentile)
• Offspeed Run Value (72nd percentile)
• xERA (83rd percentile)
• xBA (77th percentile)
• BB% (74th percentile)
• Barrel % (89th percentile)
• GB % (67th percentile)

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Those are elite indicators, even in a smaller sample.

A lot of it traces back to offseason adjustments, including work with Greg Maddux. Elder added a cutter — particularly effective against left-handed hitters, who are batting just .176 against it — and reduced his sinker usage by roughly 20%, a pitch that was hit hard last season (.280 average, .477 slugging).

Bryce Elder is never going to be an ace. He’s not going to strike a ton of guys out. But a lot of pitchers have had some really long and successful careers by mixing pitches, locating well, and limiting walks. Those are all strengths of his, and while some sort of regression is inevitable, there’s enough evidence to suggest he can cement himself a spot in the rotation — not just for this season, but for the foreseeable future as well.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)