Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider sharp in Triple-A rehab start
Spencer Strider is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Without him for a bulk of last year, the Atlanta Braves underachieved a bit, falling in the National League Wild Card Series to the San Diego Padres.
All eyes have been on Strider this spring as he rehabilitates his injured elbow. Last April, he opted to insert a brace into his elbow to stabilize his ulnar collateral ligament instead of having Tommy John surgery. Atlanta hopes to have him back in the Major League rotation in mid-April.
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For now, Strider is rehabbing at Triple-A Gwinnett. He had already thrown four innings in two separate starts in the Grapefruit League during spring training, but the Braves are amping him up innings-wise now that the season has begun. Team officials said they anticipate two or three more starts in the minors before Strider is called back to the big club.
As for his first start in the minors, it provided solid progress.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider during a Spring Training game 2025Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Strider threw 60 pitches in three innings for Gwinnett, giving up a run, two hits, a walk, hitting a batter and striking out six.
"He got through what we wanted him to do," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He got three and 60. That's where we wanted him to go."
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Strider finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2023 when he went 20-5 with a 3.86 earned-run average, a 1.093 WHIP, and he struck out a Major League-high 286 batters. He made just two starts in 2024 as his elbow went out in the fifth inning April 5 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Strider hasn't pitched in a regular-season game since.
"As long as he comes out of it (Sunday), throws his next side, then that'll be a big step forward for him," Snitker said.
Related: Reds Receive Good News Regarding Injured Outfielder
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