AJ Smith-Shawver Fulfilling His Dream Should Have Braves Musing

It's probably a good thing Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos doesn't do nightly press conferences like manager Brian Snitker. Because if any of us were Anthopoulos, we probably would have had a hard time not being a bit boastful Monday night.

The Braves received eight shutout innings from the organization's top pitching prospect AJ Smith-Shawver against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. The right-hander flirted with a no-hit bid until the eighth inning.

Behind only one hit and four walks allowed, the Braves defeated the Reds 4-0 to open their four-game series at Truist Park. After the win that pulled Atlanta back to within two games of the .500 mark, Smith-Shawver described the start as almost storybook.

“That’s just like one of those feelings you kind of dream about as a kid, just going out there and playing the game you love,” Smith-Shawver said. “Trying to take it all in right now.

"It was a good game. Glad we won and everything went well.”

After that performance, it's likely the Braves are now the ones dreaming.

Anthopoulos stressed during meetings with reporters this offseason that the Braves were confident in their young starting pitching depth. That was the main reason, not money, why the organization didn't re-sign Max Fried or Charlie Morton or any other starting pitcher of any kind this past winter.

While the Braves starters haven't been bad this season, that decision hasn't exactly worked out through the first five weeks of the 2025 regular season. Starter Ian Anderson didn't make the Braves starting rotation to begin the season, and although he's back, he isn't a guy any MLB team wants in their rotation right now.

Meanwhile, Spencer Strider returned only briefly because of a hamstring injury, and the Braves suffered another starting rotation ailment with Reynaldo López out until at least the end of July.

Those issues have the Braves, assuming they stay in the playoff race, an early candidate to acquire a starting pitcher at the MLB trade deadline. To stay in the race, though, the Braves need quality starting pitching now.

Smith-Shawver sure looked like a guy who could provide that after Monday's outing.

He's still walking a few too many batters. But in his last three MLB starts, Smith-Shawver is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA and .177 batting average against. He's also struck out 17 hitters in 18.1 innings.

Those numbers are why Braves Country was so disappointed when the team sent Smith-Shawver back to Triple-A on April 13. The right-hander had been showing promise. He fulfilled his potential, at least for one start, Monday.

Three starts is a small sample. But if Smith-Shawver continues to pitch as he has his past couple turns on the mound, he will prove Anthopoulos at least partially right about his offseason approach with the team's rotation.

After Monday, the Braves probably can't help but dream of that possibility.