The Braves are now without three All-Stars, but each of them received favorable updates over the weekend.
Spencer Strider may be gone for the season, but they anticipate a faster recovery after undergoing internal brace surgery rather than the much more typical Tommy John surgery. The cause of Strider’s ruptured UCL was also discovered. Many people want to blame velocity for acting like a ticking time bomb, but it was actually a bone fragment that damaged his UCL, causing it to tear. Strider’s recuperation will likely be protracted, but it is heartening to know why the damage occurred in the first place.
Ozzie Albies is also recovering well after fracturing his right big toe last week. He’s already walking without a boot and doing some on-field exercises. He may only be a week or so away from returning. Murphy’s activities are also progressing, as he has started throwing. He has yet to swing, and as I previously stated, oblique injuries are tricky. The Braves do not want to rush him back, so Murphy will most likely be out for a few weeks, but it is improvement nonetheless.
Both Sean Murphy (oblique) and Ozzie Albies (fractured big toe) have increased their activities in the past couple of days. Murphy is doing more throwing, still not swinging. Albies was given OK to increase activities, doing some fielding work but not running.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) April 21, 2024
Despite missing three All-Stars so early in the season, the Braves do not appear to be rattled. Travis d’Arnaud just had one of the finest weekends of his career, hitting four home runs in two games against the Rangers. Luis Guillorme has also had some big moments in Albies’ place, and he has been especially good with the glove at second base. It demonstrates the Braves’ roster depth, which is second to none in that aspect.
