Smith-Shawver (0-1) took the loss against the Nationals on Tuesday, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five across four innings.
The five runs Smith-Shawver allowed in Tuesday's outing were his most in four starts this season, with four of those runs coming in the second inning. The 23-year-old right-hander finished his start having tossed 86 pitches (57 strikes) while generating 16 whiffs, and his five punchouts were a season high. Even though his start against Washington wasn't great, the fact that Smith-Shawver has tossed at least 86 pitches in each of his last two appearances is an encouraging sign that he has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in June of 2026. Atlanta is currently deploying a six-man rotation, so that puts Smith-Shawver in line to face the Rays at home next week.