The Atlanta Braves have dealt with a ton of injuries over the last few years, but the organization's depth has been what has kept the team afloat.
You would think that when a team has lost as many superstars as the Braves have over the last couple of years to injuries -- like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider -- that they would be one of the worst teams in the league record-wise. That's not the case. The Braves made the playoffs last year and currently are 16-18 on the season after a horrendous start. Atlanta has started to turn things around of late.
One of the reasons why is the performance of starter Spencer Schwellenbach. The 24-year-old broke on to the scene last year as a rookie with a 3.35 ERA across 21 starts. He's followed it up this year with a 3.92 ERA in seven starts.
Schwellenbach is a star in the making and ESPN's Jeff Passan already has high expectations for him. He projected that he will eventually cash in with a deal topping $100 million.
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"Spencer Schwellenbach, SP, Atlanta Braves: This is a bet on Schwellenbach's array of stuff and mature mound presence," Passan said. "Suggesting a soon-to-be-25-year-old with fewer than 200 big league innings will warrant nine figures is risky. He doesn't reach free agency until after the 2030 season. But if there's anyone to bet on, it's a pitcher with extreme athleticism whose fastball sits 97 mph and is one of six pitches he throws with tremendous command."
As the Braves start to get a little healthier, the record should turn around quickly. The Braves have been almost forgotten this year. Schwellenbach has helped keep them afloat and he's going to be a big piece for years to come.
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