Well, this ain't good. Spencer Strider's second outing this season went horribly. After a stellar first game, Strider was entrusted with the home opener for the Atlanta Braves. After giving up five runs, Strider was suddenly pulled out of the game. Considering his unusually poor performance, fans were on edge.
Initial reports pegged Spencer Strider's injury to be something related to his elbow. That's almost always a bad sign for any pitcher. Mark Bowman and Justin Toscano confirmed that Strider was complaining about said elbow. The ace underwent an MRI on Saturday and it provided a frightening update, via the Braves.
“Spencer Strider today underwent an MRI that revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will be further evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX, at a date yet to be determined.”
In a rather uncharacteristic performance from Strider, the Braves ace gave up five runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out four. Usually an accurate pitcher, Strider struggling mightily with his control all game long. His fastballs also clearly lacked the speed they usually possess. It was clear that something was not right with Strider, hence his early exit.
Thankfully, the Braves' bullpen stepped in and rescued the day for the team. The bullpen held firm for six innings, with Pierce Johnson shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks in the tenth inning. That perfectly set up Travis D'Arnaud to walk off the game with an RBI double in extra innings. While the win feels good, the Braves are obviously going to be worried about Strider.
Spencer Strider: Braves' ace
Strider made his debut for the Braves in 2022, the season after their World Series run. Almost immediately, the right-hander made an instant impact for the team. With a wicked fastball that reached 100 mph and a brutal slider, Strider made mincemeat of his opponents. He quickly made a name for himself as a strikeout artist: ten Ks in a game became the norm for him.
Last year, Strider improved upon his Rookie of the Year-level campaign. The Braves ace maintained his velocity and his control, while using his slider and his changeup more often. Of course, his bread-and-butter was still his fastball: there's not a lot of pitches that are better than a 98-100 mph heater, after all. He finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting.
This year, the hype around Strider centered around his new curveball. Adding a fourth pitch to his arsenal had the potential to elevate the Braves ace to new heights. He looked great in his first outing, too: eight strikeouts and just two runs allowed. Unfortunately, this injury threatens to set back Strider's season.
Braves' outlook without Strider
Atlanta was hoping for the best possible outcome with Strider's injury. Now, it appears that Strider could end up missing an extended amount of time. The team will need to find a temporary fill-in for the star.
Max Fried, Chris Sale, Charlie Morton, and Reynaldo Lopez are a pretty good rotation, and should fill in adequately for the team. The question is… who fills that fifth spot for Atlanta? The Braves could call up one of their prospects… or they could go and try to sign a free agent as a stopgap.
Strider has yet to receive an injury timeline. We will continue to monitor and provide updates on his status as they are made available.
Follow Us
Subscribe