Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss commented on an injured pitcher's progress.
The Atlanta Braves got an update on their pitching staff as October baseball nears. Right-hander Bryce Elder is recovering well from right knee surgery. Manager Walt Weiss now sounds optimistic about his availability for the playoffs.
Elder underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Sept. 8 before landing on the 15-day injured list. Weiss had an update on his progress while speaking with reporters during Atlanta’s current series with the Houston Astros. “He looks good, man. It's amazing how quickly he's recovered from that surgery,” Weiss said via Jesus Cano of The Athletic.
Elder’s knee had been bothering him since the All-Star break. He tried to pitch through the discomfort for weeks before the team decided surgery was the best path forward. Weiss initially revealed the recovery time would take about 3-4 weeks, leaving the door open for Elder to return for the MLB playoffs.
Before the injury, Elder was a steady piece of the rotation. Across 26 starts this season, he went 8-8 with a 4.11 ERA, a 1.268 WHIP and 121 strikeouts over 149 innings. The 27-year-old earned a National League All-Star selection in 2023, and at his best he is a dependable mid-rotation arm. He gave Atlanta length and stability behind ace left-hander Chris Sale.
Atlanta's rotation has been gutted by injuries all year. Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach are both done for the season with elbow issues. Joey Wentz is out as well with a knee problem. Spencer Strider is also not currently an option.
The Braves clinched a postseason berth on Friday and sit at 90-64. They are expected to open the playoffs in a best-of-three wild card round. In that format, pitching depth gets tested quickly. Every healthy, experienced arm matters. The Braves trail the Los Angeles Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the National League by four games, meaning they likely will not get a first-round bye.
Elder likely will not be able to return as a starter. He will not have enough time to build up for a full starter's workload. He has not faced hitters in a game since going down.
That points toward a bullpen role. Weiss can instead lean on Elder as a long reliever. In that spot, he could cover multiple innings if a starter exits early or a game slips away.
For now, the Braves will monitor his progress as the postseason approaches. If he keeps trending the right way, Elder could still give Weiss a useful weapon in October. It would simply come in a different role than the one he held all summer.
