Braves' Spencer Strider: Velocity down in sim game

Strider (hamstring) threw 65 pitches over five innings in a simulated game Wednesday, but after sitting around 95-to-96 miles per hour with his fastball in the first frame, his velocity declined for the rest of the workout, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander hadn't faced hitters in any setting in nearly a month after straining his hamstring while playing catch April 21, and manager Brian Snitker indicated the reduction in velocity was due to that inactivity, not any health concerns. Atlanta has yet to decide if it wants to send Strider for a rehab start before activating him from the 15-day injured list, and rejoining the big-league rotation for a road series against the Nationals early next week remains on the table.