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The Atlanta Braves announced on April 13 that starting pitcher Spencer Strider underwent UCL surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
Going into the offseason last fall, there were questions surrounding what the Atlanta Braves were going to do this offseason as far as their pitching went. Were they going to be in on some of the top starting pitchers? That didn’t end up being the case.
They could still make a move on Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks or Lucas Giolito of the Boston Red Sox. They are the top two starting pitchers remaining after Chris Bassitt signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.
The Braves will begin the season with a lot of questions surrounding their starting rotation. However, there are going to be a lot of eyes on several players. One player who will have a lot of eyes on him is Spencer Strider.
Atlanta Braves Pitcher Spencer Strider Facing Big Spring Training
Two years ago, Strider suffered an elbow injury that required surgery. His 2025 season was not one that went well. It wasn’t shocking for the right-hander coming off surgery. He went 7-14 in 23 starts with a 4.45 ERA in 125.1 innings with just 131 strikeouts and a WAR of 1.0. Those numbers are a far cry from his 2023 numbers. Regardless, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN believes there are going to be a lot of eyes on Strider this spring.
“Strider didn’t quite look like himself in his return from elbow surgery last season. His strikeout rate was 24.3%, compared to 36.8% when he finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2023. His fastball was down a couple of ticks and often lacked late life. (Strider’s) ERA stood at 4.45. But Strider was highly effective in the stretch run, maintaining a 2.50 ERA over his last six starts. And one would expect the quality of his stuff to return now that he’s another year removed from surgery,” wrote Gonzalez.
Strider was one of the best pitchers two years ago. He went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA and struck out 281 in 186.2 innings, while sporting a 3.4 WAR. Atlanta isn’t expecting those numbers this season, but if he can come anywhere near those numbers, they’ll take it.
Atlanta Braves Have Questions Surrounding Health of Starting Rotation
Right now, Atlanta’s projected starting rotation is projected to be Chris Sale, Strider, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, and Bryce Elder. López is returning from shoulder surgery, Holmes has elbow concerns, and Spencer Schwellenbach will open the season on the 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation. The Braves have some young pitchers who could push for a spot in the rotation with a lot more questions than answers.
“The Braves are currently deep in pitching prospects, with three players making up Kiley McDaniels’ top 100. But Strider is still the one who can put them over the top in a highly competitive division,” wrote Gonzalez.
You can see why the Braves were linked to some of the free agent starters this offseason. They can still strike in free agency with either Gallen or Giolito. However, Giolito does come with some past injury history as well.
The National League East is going to be tough again. The Philadelphia Phillies reloaded, and the New York Mets lost some pieces but added a lot of key pieces. This season is going to come down to pitching, and Strider can be a difference-maker if healthy.
Scott Roche Scott Roche covers college football, NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com and has three decades of sports writing, covering everything from college to professional sports. More about Scott Roche
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