Atlanta rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver left a 5–4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in a doubleheader opener with a strained right elbow, appearing to say “pop” toward manager Brian Snitker afte

Starter AJ Smith-Shawver left the Braves' 5-4 loss to the Phillies in Philadelphia on Thursday with an elbow injury and will return to Atlanta to undergo testing.

The Atlanta Braves continue to deal with issues to important parts of their starting rotation, though the depth has kept them afloat to this point. The latest casualty is AJ Smith-Shawver, who left his Thursday afternoon start early due to what manager Brian Snitker described as a "pop" in his elbow.