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Spencer Strider has only pitched once in the MLB Playoffs, but Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker felt confident enough in the hard-throwing righty to give him the nod for Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies. And on Friday, Strider addressed the special opportunity but focused more on what this moment means for the team as a whole as they chase a World Series title.
Via The Athletic:
“That’s what you play for, it’s what you work for, is opportunities in the postseason,” Strider said Friday of starting Game 1 in his second-ever postseason outing. “That’s been our goal as a team for the entire season. When we showed up to spring training, we expected to be here. In some ways, this is when the season starts for us. We did a lot of good stuff in the regular season. Some of that will carry over in some ways, but most of it won’t. So this is sort of a fresh slate.”
The Braves had the best record in the MLB at 104-58 and head into the postseason as the favorite to win it all. As for Spencer Strider, well, he's had nothing but success against the Phillies in his short big league career, compiling a 8-0 record and 1.90 ERA. The 24-year-old has struck out 72 in 47.1 innings while allowing just 10 walks. Dominant, to say the least.
With Max Fried having missed time with a finger issue, he'll go in Game 2 of the NLDS instead. But despite Strider's success versus Philadelphia, he isn't taking their dangerous lineup for granted:
“I think any amount of success is good — when you go into the postseason, you want to feel like you can be successful and you’ve done it before,” Spencer Strider said of his record against the Phillies. “But it’s a fresh slate. They’re a dangerous team. They had a phenomenal regular season, as well. And so we’re expecting them to come out and fire on all cylinders, and we want to be as well.”
First pitch Saturday at Truist Park is scheduled for 3:07 PM PT.
