The Atlanta Braves received an encouraging update from one of their most important pitchers as Spencer Strider continues progressing during spring training. His latest outing Thursday vs. the Toronto Blue Jays displayed strong signs that Strider’s velocity and pitch movement are trending back toward the dominant 2023 form that once made him one of baseball’s most electric starters.
Strider remains a central figure in the Braves’ rotation outlook entering the 2026 season. After working back from injury concerns and a carefully managed workload, Atlanta has focused on gradually building the former 2023 National League strikeout and wins leader back toward peak effectiveness.
Early spring radar-gun readings sparked questions about the right-handed pitcher's velocity. However, his most recent appearance showed a noticeable step forward as the Braves ace began rediscovering the life on his fastball.
Strider remains a central figure in the Braves’ rotation outlook entering the 2026 season. After working back from injury concerns and a carefully managed workload, Atlanta has focused on gradually building the former 2023 National League strikeout and wins leader back toward peak effectiveness.
Fans quickly noticed the return of Strider’s trademark power stuff. The 27-year-old flamethrower consistently worked in the 95–96 mph range with his fastball while pairing it with a sharp slider that produced a 41.7 percent whiff rate during the appearance.
MLB.com's Mark Bowman later shared additional details regarding his outing on X, formerly Twitter, highlighting several encouraging data points from his performance.
“Strider touched 96.7 mph twice and his four-seamer averaged 95 mph. The good news is his late-life, gitty up was still there. IVB was 17 inches (18.4 in 2023). He didn't finish the fifth, but he had two Ks in a perfect sixth. Got a whiff with 5/12 swings vs. slider.”
Strider did surrender a two-run double in the fifth inning off Toronto’s Addison Barger. However, the overall outing still generated optimism across Braves Country.
The life on the fastball and the effectiveness of the slider suggest Strider’s elite swing-and-miss arsenal could be returning. For the Braves, that is a monumental development as spring training continues, with fans believing the former ace could soon regain his dominant form.
