2026 Atlanta Braves Player Review: AJ Smith-Shawver

Demetrius Bell analyzes Atlanta Braves pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver's 2026 season following his recovery from June 2025 Tommy John surgery. After returning to the major league roster in late July, the young right-hander struggled to find consistency across starts and relief outings. Smith-Shawver finished the campaign with a 6.61 ERA, a 6.00 FIP, and -0.2 fWAR over an inconsistent stretch that concluded in Atlanta's bullpen.

While Bell highlights positive takeaways such as maintained fastball velocity averaging 96 mph and a potent splitter, control issues and home runs proved costly. Smith-Shawver was moved to relief late in the year and struggled in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bell notes that Smith-Shawver will enter 2027 at age 24 with a realistic chance to compete for a starting rotation spot in spring training.