AJ Smith-Shawver Struggles in Return to Braves Following Tommy John

Atlanta Braves pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver returned from Tommy John surgery in July 2026, posting a 6.61 ERA, 6.00 FIP, and -0.2 fWAR in limited work. Though his four-seam velocity reached 96 mph and his splitter generated a 31.3% whiff rate, high walk rates (11.1%) and home run vulnerability hampered his transition back to starting, leading to a late-season bullpen move. The 24-year-old will compete for a starting rotation spot in 2027.