Spencer Strider, Braves' bats not good enough against rival Phillies

New York Times

28-05-2025

PHILADELPHIA — Even with Spencer Strider's fastball averaging 2-3 mph below the extreme heat he threw before his second elbow surgery 13 months ago, he still pitched competitively against a Philadelphia Phillies team he has dominated for the most part in the past.
But there were notable differences in this 2-0 Atlanta Braves loss at Citizens Bank Park. It was the first loss for Strider in nine decisions covering 11 regular-season games against the Phillies, including 10 starts.
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• He wasn't as efficient and didn't go as deep as he had in past starts against them, running up 90 pitches in 4 2/3 innings.
• He got no run support, an issue that has plagued Chris Sale and other Braves pitchers in an entirely underwhelming first two months for Atlanta's offense.
• And the Braves' bullpen isn't as good as Philadelphia's, which was evident again when Daysbel Hernández gave up consecutive two-out singles in the eighth inning, followed by two walks, the second of which doubled the lead to 2-0. For Strider and others, there's precious margin for error.
'We got shut out,' Braves manager Brian Snitker said, putting it succinctly after Atlanta lost for the fifth time in six games and fell to 9 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies and eight behind the second-place New York Mets.
The Braves struck out 11 times and got five hits, all singles, including four hits in six innings against crafty left-hander Ranger Suárez.
'We just need to get it done, that's all,' Snitker said. 'They're up there trying, and it's a good pitcher. He keeps you off-balance with that sinker and a good changeup and a little breaking ball. He knows what he's doing. We kept the game there, just couldn't get a big hit.'
The Braves' best scoring chance came in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases on a Michael Harris II leadoff single and two walks before Matt Olson struck out to strand three in a 1-0 game.
'He made some good pitches, but we also missed some opportunities,' Olson said. 'Speaking for myself, he gave me a couple of pitches to hit in that bases-loaded situation. He's a good pitcher. He's not going to light up the velo, but he mixes it up well, moves it around. The changeup's 80 miles an hour, so it makes the 92, 93 fastball look a lot firmer. He's got good arm speed on the changeup, throws it to lefties and righties, moves it around.'
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The Braves left 10 runners on base and were shut out for the fourth time this season and the first since April 5.
Olson had 15 homers in 30 career games (including the postseason) at Citizens Bank Park before Tuesday and a 1.034 OPS that was second only to Juan Soto's (1.100) among all players — Phillies or opponents — with at least 100 at-bats at the ballpark. His past success and the closeness of the game only made it harder to swallow his 0-for-4 performance with two strikeouts, including that one critical K.
'That's part of my job title is to drive guys in,' Olson said. 'You know, middle-lineup guy, it's something I pride myself on is driving guys in, scoring runs, and I got a couple of chances to do it. That at-bat, he left a couple pitches in decent spots to hit, and I was a little under them, a little late on one, just trying to stay within myself and kind of work off-gap a little bit and back it up a little too much. Yeah, you kick yourself after that in a tight game.'
Strider allowed one run and only one hit, albeit with four walks and a high-profile hit batter — he nailed Phillies star Bryce Harper in the right elbow with a 95 mph fastball in the first inning. Harper left the game and had X-rays that showed only a contusion, news Strider was relieved to hear.
'Certainly not trying to hit him,' Strider said. 'In the moment, I just assumed he had a guard on and was just pissed that I hit him, and then saw him in pain, and that was tough. So I'm definitely relieved that he's OK. He's one of the best players, you know, this century. So he needs to be on the field. It's best for the game. And it's good for us. It's good to compete against him.'
Strider added: 'You have to stay focused on what you're trying to do in the moment. It's easy to unravel. Of course, I'm not a complete sociopath, so I have some empathy. So I do feel bad for him to see a person in pain that I caused. But I've still got a job to do.'
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He did it, for the most part. But Braves fans hoping to see pre-surgery Strider will need to be patient, as Snitker has said many times and did again Tuesday. Strider missed the first three weeks of the season while completing his rehab from internal-brace surgery, then made one start and missed five more weeks for a hamstring strain.
'He competed a lot better than he did the other day,' Snitker said, referring to Strider's first start after the injury, when he gave up six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings May 20 at the Washington Nationals. 'I thought command was better. The velocity wasn't great, but it was better than the other day. It looked like the way they were swinging at it, it had a little life on it. Secondary stuff … it was just an overall better outing than the last one.'
This series feels a lot more important than a late-May series should feel. That's because the Braves are in danger of falling behind the Phillies by 10-plus games before the calendar turns to June. And nearly as far back of the Mets.
'I think we're focused on ourselves and understanding what needs to get better,' Strider said. 'Ultimately, if we want to achieve what we want to achieve, we've got to be the best version of ourselves, regardless of what anybody else is doing. We don't know who we're going to play if we make the playoffs. That kind of stuff works itself out when you get there.
'I think right now you've got to picture every jersey the same on the other side of you and focus on what's going on in your clubhouse and in your own routine and optimize for the next game and the next game.'
For the Braves to make an eighth consecutive postseason appearance, Strider will surely need to have a big part in getting them there. The Phillies scored their only run against him in the second inning, when Alec Bohm drew a leadoff walk and Max Kepler lined a one-out double to the right-center warning track.
Bryson Stott's 11-pitch leadoff walk in the third inning underscored a difference in Strider from his pre-surgery form. Stott fouled off five full-count pitches, all 95.3-95.8 mph fastballs. He couldn't put Stott away; in the past, however, Strider likely would've blown him away with 98-99 mph fastballs up in the strike zone.
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Still, he worked out of that inning unscathed, striking out hot-hitting Kyle Schwarber on a slider with a runner at second to end the inning.
After four innings, Strider had all of the 40 hardest-thrown pitches in the game. Granted, Suárez hadn't thrown a pitch above 93.3 mph, but Strider had eight at 96.0-96.8 mph. All came in the first two innings, and he topped out at 95.8 mph in the third inning and 94.6 mph in the fourth inning before getting one pitch to 95.7 mph in the fifth.
The decline in velocity as games have progressed has been a pattern in each of Strider's three starts as he continues to build arm strength. He averaged 95.1 mph on 49 fastballs Tuesday and got 24 swings, including just four swings-and-misses on that pitch.
Strider's fastball velo was in the 68th percentile in the majors at 95.2 mph before Tuesday. For some context, it was in the 98th percentile as a rookie in 2022 at 98.2 mph and the 92nd percentile in his first full season as an MLB starter in 2023 at 97.2 mph, when he led the majors in wins and strikeouts.
But it wasn't velocity that upset Strider on Tuesday. It was falling behind hitters early in counts and giving up a run after Bohm's leadoff walk. He loathes allowing the first run of a game.
'I can't concern myself with velo too much right now,' he said. 'It's going to come, and ultimately, whether I'm throwing hard or not, I've got to execute pitches and get ahead and stick to our game plan.'