Braves' Spencer Strider: Good enough to win Saturday
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Strider (6-2) allowed two runs on three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in six innings, earning the win Saturday over Arizona.
The four walks were a season high, but he was able to work around the free passes despite less-than-dominant stuff. Strider still managed to throw 63 of 99 pitches for strikes, including 15 whiffs. Walk rate is about the only thing he could improve on this year -- he's posted a 3.4 BB/9 so far. Strider is at a 2.97 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 113 strikeouts through 69.2 innings. He's lined up for a favorable home start against the Nationals next week.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Punches out nine
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Strider (5-2) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk over six innings Sunday, striking out nine and earning a win over the Phillies.
Strider was dominant as usual Sunday, with the only misstep coming in the third inning when he served up a two-run shot to Brandon Marsh. After allowing two homers through his first eight starts, Strider has now been taken deep four times in his last three outings. Still, he's maintained a 2.97 ERA with a stellar 106:22 K:BB through 63.2 frames. The second-year star registered a 3.57 ERA over four starts since his last win May 1. Strider's next outing is expected to come at home against the Diamondbacks.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Slips up versus Texas
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Strider allowed four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out seven over five innings in a no-decision versus the Rangers on Wednesday.
The seven strikeouts were a season low, and this was also the first start in which Strider's allowed multiple home runs this season. Atlanta was able to rally over the eighth and ninth innings to get him off the hook for the loss. The 24-year-old is now at a 2.96 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 86:18 K:BB across 51.2 innings. He's been limited to five frames in three of his last four outings. Strider is projected for a tough home start next week against the Dodgers.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Fans 12 in tough loss
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Strider (4-1) took the loss Friday as Atlanta fell 3-0 to the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over 6.2 innings. He struck out 12.
It's the third time in his last four starts Strider punched out double-digit batters, but the right-hander was outdueled by Chris Bassitt, who tossed a shutout for Toronto. Strider generated a stunning 49 called or swinging strikes among his 110 pitches, and he'll take a 2.70 ERA and 79:15 K:BB through 46.2 innings into his next outing, likely to come on the road next week against the Rangers.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Racks up 10 punchouts Saturday
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Strider allowed two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out 10 batters over five innings against Baltimore on Saturday. He did not factor in the decision.
Strider was outstanding against Baltimore, inducing 21 swinging strikes and notching double-digit punchouts for the second time this season. However, he threw a hefty 95 pitches over five frames, causing him to miss out on a chance at a quality start. The right-hander was in position for a victory when he departed, but a pair of sixth-inning Orioles runs stuck him with a no-decision and ended his personal three-game winning streak. Strider has thus far avoided any sort of sophomore slump after a fabulous rookie campaign last season. He leads MLB with 67 strikeouts and has posted a 2.70 ERA and 0.93 WHIP across 40 innings.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Yields four runs but nabs victory
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Strider improved to 4-0 with a win over the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader Monday. He pitched five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out eight batters.
Atlanta staked Strider to a 6-1 lead after two innings, but he served up a three-run homer to Pete Alonso in the following frame that brought the score much closer. To his credit, Strider bounced back by retiring the final nine batters he faced, allowing him to hang around just long enough to pick up his fourth win. The right-hander walked three but tossed 74 of his 107 pitches for a strike, and he did his usual standout work missing bats by notching 15 swings-and-misses. The four earned runs Strider allowed were a season high while the eight strikeouts were a season low, which speaks to how well he has pitched as a whole through six starts.
Strider and Atlanta won't face the Mets on Sunday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Queens.
The two teams have now had two consecutive games postponed for weather-related reasons. Atlanta and New York will make up the postponement from Saturday as part of a split doubleheader Aug. 12, while Sunday's postponed contest will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader Monday. Expect Strider to take the hill for one of those two contests.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: ATL-NYM postponed by rain
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Strider will not start Saturday against the Mets after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Queens, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Aug. 12. The two teams will try to fit in Sunday's tilt, with Strider slated to get the start for Atlanta, but the forecast for the New York area calls for sustained rain throughout the remainder of the weekend. Strider stands 3-0 with a brilliant 1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 49:11 K:BB in 30 innings (five starts) this season.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Dominates Miami for third win
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Strider (3-0) earned the win Monday against the Marlins, tossing eight scoreless innings in which he allowed two hits and no walks. He struck out 13.
Strider was perfect through six innings until Jazz Chisholm reached on a fielding error by Matt Olson to lead off the seventh. The right-hander got out of the frame by retiring the next three batters, but he lost his no-hitter in the eighth when Jean Segura and Jon Berti hit back-to-back, one-out singles. Strider escaped the frame by striking out Jacob Stallings and Garrett Hampson, giving him a season-high 13 strikeouts. It was Strider's third scoreless outing of the year, and he currently holds a 1.80 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP with a stellar 49:11 K:BB through five starts (30.0 innings).
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Pitches six shutout innings in win
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Strider (2-0) earned the win Tuesday, allowing one hit and three walks over six scoreless innings against the Padres. He struck out nine.
Fantasy managers couldn't have asked for a better start to Strider's sophomore season. This is the 24-year-old righty's second scoreless outing of the year, and he's now leading the league in strikeouts through the end of Tuesday's games. The former Clemson Tiger is also holding opposing hitters to a .158 batting average, good for eighth best in MLB. The Ohio native will look to continue his stellar start to the season against the Marlins next week.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Totals nine punchouts again
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Strider did not factor in the decision against Cincinnati on Wednesday, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine batters.
Strider's final line Wednesday was almost a carbon copy of his previous start against San Diego, when he also allowed three runs on four hits while striking out nine batters over five frames. The right-hander has struck out exactly nine hitters in each of his three outings this season, though he has just one win to show for it. Strider had his swing-and-miss stuff working against the Reds, as he racked up 22 whiffs, but he could go only five frames due to tossing 98 pitches. The 24-year-old has lived up to his billing as one of the game's top strikeout pitchers so far in 2023, as he is currently tied with Jacob deGrom for the league lead in punchouts.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Strikes out nine in no-decision
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Strider didn't factor in the decision against San Diego on Thursday, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out nine batters over five innings.
As usual, opposing hitters found it difficult to make contact against Strider, as the hurler racked up 18 swinging strikes and punched out nine batters. However, the lack of contact -- along with three walks -- resulted in a high pitch count for the right-hander, as he needed 101 pitches to get through five frames. That could have been enough for Strider to earn a win, but Atlanta's bullpen was unable to hold the 4-3 lead he carried at the time of his departure. Through two starts, Strider is tied for second in MLB with 18 strikeouts, and he's posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 11 innings.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Fans nine in first win
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Strider (1-0) picked up the win in Saturday's 7-1 victory over the Nationals, allowing three hits and three walks over six scoreless innings while striking out nine.
The 24-year-old right-hander picked up right where he left off in 2022, generating 16 swinging strikes among his 96 pitches (68 strikes) as he sliced through an overmatched Washington lineup. Strider racked up 202 strikeouts in only 131.2 innings last year, and a full season in the rotation could allow him to post some unthinkable strikeout numbers in 2023. His next start will likely come at home against the Padres next week.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Throws five innings in MiLB game
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Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Strider threw five-plus innings in Monday's minor-league game, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
There's no word on Strider's stats for that contest, but the important thing in exhibition season is that the right-hander is getting his work in. After a strong rookie campaign that saw him strike out 38.3 percent of the hitters he faced over 131.2 innings of work, Strider is being drafted as one of the top starting options in baseball, and his swing-and-miss arsenal makes that an easy decision to justify.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Fans five Blue Jays
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Strider gave up a run on three hits over 3.1 innings while striking out five during Thursday's split-squad game against the Blue Jays.
The right-hander fired 42 of 57 pitches for strikes in his third appearance of the spring. Strider has a 9:2 K:BB through 8.1 innings in Grapefruit League action, and after a dazzling rookie campaign that saw him fan 202 batters in only 131.2 frames for a 38.3 percent strikeout rate, Atlanta is counting on the 24-year-old to emerge as a true ace in 2023.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Starting Game 3
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Strider (oblique) will start Game 3 of the NLDS on Friday against the Phillies, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Strider will return to the mound for the first time since Sept. 18 following an oblique injury. It's unlikely that he'll see a full workload in the contest, but the right-hander is a welcome addition for Atlanta after having posted a 2.67 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with a 12.8 K/9 this season. As a result of Strider starting Game 3, Charlie Morton will now toe the rubber in Saturday's Game 4 matchup.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Makes NLDS roster
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Strider (oblique) will be on Atlanta's NLDS roster.
Strider had an outstanding rookie season, posting a 2.67 ERA and 38.3 percent strikeout rate in 131.2 innings, but it was cut short in mid-September due to an oblique strain. While he will in fact be able to make it back for the postseason, it's unclear what sort of role he'll be able to play, as his experience as a reliever could lead Atlanta to deploy him that way if he isn't built up enough to start. Per Jeff Schultz of The Athletic, a Game 3 start for Strider is possible, though that could also go to Charlie Morton.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Checks out fine after side session
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Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Strider (oblique) looked good during a bullpen session Sunday, but the team is still in the process of determining the rookie right-hander's role for its National League Division Series with he Phillies, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.
At the very least, Strider won't be available to start Games 1 and 2, as Atlanta plans on having Max Fried and Kyle Wright take the hill Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Charlie Morton will likely have the inside track in another spot in Atlanta's four-man rotation, but Strider could be in consideration to start Game 3 on Friday or Game 4 on Saturday if the team is comfortable with him from a health and workload standpoint. Even if Strider isn't quite built up enough to start after closing the regular season on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain, he should have a role out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever. After a brilliant first full season in the big leagues in which he went 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a whopping 202 strikeouts over 131.2 innings, the 23-year-old was rewarded Monday with a six-year, $75 million contract extension.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Inks long-term deal with Atlanta
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Atlanta announced Monday that Strider (oblique) signed a six-year, $75 million contract extension that runs through the 2028 season. The contract includes a $22 million team option or a $5 million buyout for 2029.
Strider becomes the latest in a growing list of young, foundational pieces to come to terms with Atlanta on a long-term deal to buy out his arbitration years. Before a left oblique strain caused the 23-year-old to finish the regular season on the 15-day injured list, the rookie right-hander had arguably been Atlanta's top pitcher in 2022. After dazzling in relief to begin the season, Strider transitioned into the rotation in late May and finished with a 2.67 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 202:45 K:BB across 131.2 innings. Atlanta hopes to have Strider available for its upcoming National League Division Series with the Phillies that begins Tuesday, but he has yet to be formally activated.
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Braves' Spencer Strider: Could return for NLDS
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Atlanta is optimistic about Strider's (oblique) chances of being ready for the NLDS against Philadelphia, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Strider has been on the 15-day injured list since suffering a left oblique strain in late September, but he's been ramping up his throwing of late. Per O'Brien, the team will watch him throw more over the next 48 hours before making a final decision on his NLDS roster status.
