Both Spencers pitched Thursday, demonstrating 2 reasons not to write off the Braves

New York Times

11-04-2025

ATLANTA — Two reasons not to write off the Atlanta Braves were on the mound Thursday: Spencer Strider in an afternoon rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett at Norfolk, where he piled up 13 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, and Spencer Schwellenbach in a series-finale start against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park.
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Strider's next start is expected to be for Atlanta in the finale of a three-game series at Toronto that begins Monday, one year after having internal-brace elbow surgery. The Braves will gauge how he feels in the next couple of days before finalizing that decision.
'But we kind of feel like he's right where we want him to be before he gets here,' Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Strider, who made only two starts in 2024 before having surgery on April 12 to repair a damaged UCL.
Schwellenbach, already regarded as one of baseball's top pitchers after only one full season as a starter at any level, gave up one run, seven hits and three walks in six innings Thursday night before exiting after a 2-hour and 44-minute rain delay in a thrilling 4-2 marathon win against the Phillies that also gave the Braves their first series win of the season.
Austin Riley led off the 11th inning with a score-tying double off Joe Ross, and Marcell Ozuna followed with a two-run walk-off homer, the first two hits of the night for the Braves in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Schwellenbach had his season-opening 16-inning scoreless streak snapped and gave up more than twice as many hits as his combined total from his first two starts, but the 24-year-old former University of Nebraska shortstop's varied skills were demonstrated when he struck out Nick Castellanos with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and made a slick play and terrific throw to start 1-6-3 double play to end the sixth.
Schwellenbach allowed three hits and one walk in 14 scoreless innings over his first two starts. He has a majors-leading 0.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts and three walks in 20 innings.
Another reason to believe in the Braves (3-9) despite their stumble out of the gate is Ronald Acuña Jr., and there was a development Thursday on that front. Acuña will have his surgically repaired knee checked out by Dr. Neal ElAttrache next week in Los Angeles, when the right fielder could be cleared to begin full baseball drills, including cutting, starting and stopping.
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That would signal the home stretch of Acuña's rehab from his June 4 surgery for a torn right ACL. No timetable has been announced, but it's reasonable to assume he would begin a rehab assignment by late April and rejoin the Braves by mid-May, barring setbacks.
The Braves' offense needs Acuña, a dynamic and potent leadoff man who was a unanimous 2023 National League MVP after hitting .337 with 41 homers, 73 RBIs and a 1.012 OPS.
The Braves are last in the NL in runs (38) and better than only eight teams in the majors in OPS (.625). They have been particularly inept with runners in scoring position, lugging a .183 average in those situations that's fourth-worst in the majors, even after the big 11th-inning hits Thursday.
While the return of Acuña could be a month away, Strider's return is imminent. The Braves are eager to see 'Quadzilla' back in the rotation, and they need him now more than ever after losing Reynaldo López for at least four months following arthroscopic shoulder surgery last week.
By late Thursday afternoon, most Braves players had either seen highlights from Strider's superb rehab outing — where he gave up only three hits, one run and two walks — or heard about it from teammates.
Center fielder Michael Harris II was asked about the potential impact of getting back Strider, who had a 20-5 record with 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings in 2023 in his first full season as a major-league starter.
'Even though he's throwing every fifth day, it adds a lot,' Harris said. 'You know what you're going to get out of him. He's going to do things like he did today. He's really dominant. You can just feel his presence when he's out on the field. I guess a lot of teams are fearful of him when he's up on that mound.'
13 Ks for Spencer Strider!
The @Braves ace is nearing a return after his expected final rehab outing. pic.twitter.com/AgQXR9ZcCr
— MLB (@MLB) April 10, 2025
Based on pitch command and arm strength that Strider showed Thursday — his fastballs were mostly in the 94-96 mph range throughout — there's nothing more to be gained from facing Triple A hitters again. Strider allowed one hit and one walk through four innings before giving up a one-out walk and consecutive two-out singles in the fifth for the only run against him.
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He was replaced after reaching his prescribed 90-pitch limit, and had a 1-2 count on a batter at the time. With another pitch or two, he likely would've had 14 strikeouts and a new Gwinnett record.
But minor league strikeout records were of no consideration in any decision regarding Strider, whose importance to the Braves can't be overstated.
'I think he's got a chance to win a Cy Young, if he can stay healthy,' Braves third baseman Riley said. 'From a position player's standpoint, you get a little bored out there (playing behind him). Especially with the strikeouts and everything. We face guys like him every now and then, guys that just have unbelievable stuff. It makes for tough at-bats, especially if they get in the groove.'
Asked if being bored behind Strider was the good kind of bored, Riley laughed and said, 'Oh, 100 percent. I like those kind of boring (games). I like the action, but when he's mowing guys down, we're typically in the win column.'
For Braves relievers, games when Strider pitches are similar to starts by Chris Sale last year in his Cy Young season, or Schwellenbach since last summer. They are games when the bullpen typically is going to pitch three or fewer innings, and usually with a lead.
'It sucks to lose Lopey,' reliever Pierce Johnson said, using López's nickname, 'because he's such a good pitcher, but also a great teammate, too. And I feel for him because he was working his tail off. You know, injuries happen, and it sucks. We saw last year, we just had to roll with the punches. But being able to get Strider back is going to be a game-changer.'
After Strider struck out the first six batters Thursday, he gave up a soft third-inning double. As if annoyed by the hit, Strider struck out the next three batters in 11 pitches.
'There was a flare double over the first baseman that was not hit more than 27 miles an hour,' Johnson said, smiling while discussing Strider's work Thursday. 'I mean, yeah, it's one of those things where you get to add some serious star power to your team. He's an elite arm. He's fun to watch day in and day out. He's one of those guys that you're just anxious to watch pitch every day.'
Strider was a preseason Cy Young favorite a year ago before the UCL injury, which resulted from a calcium deposit that had developed since his 2019 Tommy John surgery and attached itself to the ligament, he said.
He made it to the majors throwing almost exclusively fastballs, but Strider has steadily added to his repertoire, now mixing in changeups and a curveball he developed before the 2024 season, to complement his devastating fastball and slider combination.
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The 13 strikeouts tied the Gwinnett record set by Bryce Wilson in eight innings of an August 2018 game, and Strider did it in 2 2/3 fewer innings and on a strict pitch limit. He was also replaced in a similar mid-batter situation after reaching the 75-pitch limit in his previous rehab start.
It indicates how strictly the Braves followed rehabilitation protocols with Strider, who they view as far too important to their cause to go even an inch outside the parameters established for his entire rehab program.
'Obviously, with somebody like him, let's make sure he's ready,' Riley said. 'He looked really good in spring. I know there's a ton of hype behind him. I was like, let's just let him run his course, so that when he gets here, let's have him here the whole time. Let's not have any setbacks. But from what I've heard, what I've seen, everything's gone well.'
(Top photo of Spencer Schwellenbach: Brett Davis / Imagn Images)