Hurston Waldrep experiencing elbow soreness, will be further evaluated
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Braves starter Hurston Waldrep felt soreness after throwing live batting practice Thursday and is undergoing evaluation.
Waldrep underwent an MRI that revealed “loose bodies” in his right elbow but no ligament damage, manager Walt Weiss said. Waldrep will see renowned specialist Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Monday.
The Braves don’t have a timetable regarding any potential absence. They’ll have more information after his visit with Meister.
“I think (loose bodies) is fairly common with pitchers,” Weiss said. “I don’t want to elaborate because I’m not totally sure, but probably needs to be dealt with. I don’t know what that looks like as far as procedure. Dr. Meister will let us know.”
Weiss was asked if he expected Waldrep to miss significant time.
“It’s hard to say,” he responded. “I guess a lot of it just depends on what the doctors find. But we know it has to be dealt with somehow, someway, but we just don’t know the extent of it right now.”
It’d be an enormous blow to the Braves if Waldrep missed significant time. He was expected to play a sizable role for the club, even if he didn’t open the season in the rotation.
In a 2025 season desperate for positivity, Waldrep obliged. He parlayed his sudden summoning at the MLB Speedway Classic into a rotation spot for the campaign’s final two months.
He had a 2.88 ERA in 10 games, striking out 55 in 56⅓ innings. He looked vastly more comfortable and confident than he’d appeared in his first two major league outings a year prior.
The thought was perhaps he’d earned a rotation spot entering the next spring. But given he had options remaining and other candidates did not, it also appeared possible the club would start him in Triple-A.
Now, the Braves are left wondering when they’ll next see their budding youngster.
Waldrep’s situation only amplifies the Braves’ need for starting pitching. The team already lost Spencer Schwellenbach (right elbow inflammation) last week and he’ll miss at least two months.
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos had already sought rotation help throughout the winter. A deal never came to fruition, but the team expressed confidence in Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes as they returned from injuries.
Now, the Braves’ depth could be further depleted. And the trend that’s spoiled the past two seasons — injuries upon injuries — appears to have continued into the new year.
“I don’t get too crazy about this stuff; I’ve been around long enough to know every team deals with this,” Weiss said. “There are going to be teams talking about this same thing around the league that I’m talking about as it relates to pitchers. There’s nothing you can do. These guys get hurt doing what they do. You go out there and pitch enough, at some point something is liable to happen.
“I don’t beat my head against the wall with this stuff like this. I just know it’s part of the deal. I wish it hadn’t happened, but we have to put our head down and keep going.”
The Braves will open the season with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, López and Holmes in the rotation, so Waldrep was among several competing for the fifth spot. Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz, both out of options, remain logical candidates.
But the Braves are thin after them. Their only starting pitcher addition this winter was nonroster invitee Martín Pérez, who while accomplished won’t quell concerns.
Many felt Chris Bassitt would be an ideal fit for the rotation and clubhouse, but he signed a one-year, $18.5 million deal with the Orioles three days ago.
There are other free agent veterans who could plug into the rotation, including Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell. Anthopoulos indicated the team explored adding a playoff-caliber starter — that is, someone who could slot into the rotation’s top three — but there’s an increasing need for depth in general.
There’s an argument the Braves would benefit from another innings eater who can help them reach the postseason, even if the player wouldn’t be slated to start a postseason game.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
