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Zach Pressnell is a Newsweek contributor based in Columbus, Ohio. His focus is MLB content. He has an extensive knowledge of professional baseball and all things that come with it after working closely with the sport for years. Zach has been with Newsweek since November 2024 and previously worked at FanSided and OnSI. He is a graduate of Bethany College (WV). You can get in touch with Zach by emailing [email protected].
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Starting pitcher Bryce Elder is one of the most intriguing players in the entire Atlanta Braves organization. Elder was elevated to the big leagues in 2022 as a 22-year-old. He tossed 54 impressive innings for the Braves that season.
During the 2023 season, Elder was even better. Across 174 2/3 innings, the righty held a 3.81 ERA and 1.27 WHIP as he earned a nod to the All-Star Game. It seemed as though the young starter was just beginning.
But the 2024 season was a disaster. He held an ERA north of 6.50 with a negative WAR. This resulted in him landing in the minor leagues for the bulk of season. In his place, Spencer Schwellenbach shined. Now, it doesn’t seem like there’s room for him on the big league roster.
FanSided’s Austin Owens recently predicted the Braves will cut ties with Elder during the next year.
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“Even with all the question marks the Braves starting rotation has lingering, they have better options than Elder,” Owens wrote. “AJ Smith-Shawver has impressed during spring training and former first-round pick Hurston Waldrep is making adjustments to move up the organizational ladder.
“With all of Elder’s inconsistency between his multiple call-ups and send-downs, the Braves will likely use him as a trade piece at the deadline in 2025 or simply choose not to re-sign him at the end of the season.”
Cutting ties with Elder makes sense for both parties. At this point, it doesn’t seem like Atlanta is going to use him as a starter. For Elder, he could use a fresh start with a new team.
There’s a chance another club sees potential in the young righty and entertains the idea of trading for him. Elder would likely need to show some promise in the minor leagues this year for this to be a possibility, but it’s unlikely he will remain with the Braves.
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