© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Braves Pitcher Spencer Strider Backs Up Words With Win Over Mets
Spencer Strider knew after saying the New York Mets had six "weird" hits against him in the Aug. 7 meeting between the two rivals, the Atlanta Braves starter and former Clemson pitcher knew he had to back it up Monday night.
And he did just that. Strider pitched five solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits in a 13-1 victory over the Mets at Truist Park. He added four strikeouts, well below his usual prowess to get swings and misses, but that was by design.
“That was not what I was trying to convey after that game," Strider said about his comments from Aug. 7. "I definitely needed my chamomile tea. They're a pesky team. They grind out at-bats. They're sort of the opposite of me. I knew it and I didn't make an adjustment last week. I chalk that up to them."
This time, with the Braves sitting 5.5 games back of the NL East-leading Mets before the game, Strider opened up the four-game series by getting ahead in the count, filling the zone and then letting the Mets put the ball in play for easy outs.
That doesn't mean he still wasn't impressive.
Strider, who allowed just one walk, dominated, even though there was a lengthy rain delay in the second inning, but he said his team needed him to get through five innings to help the bullpen. That was his goal, not getting revenge, but he accomplished both Monday.
Strider lowered his earned run average from 3.11 to 3.04 following the outing, and he's struck out 142 batters this season.
Strider was a fourth-round draft pick by the Braves after a short career at Clemson. He had Tommy John surgery following his freshman season and pitched only a handful of times his last year with the program because COVID-19 shut the season down early.
But Strider made quick strides in Atlanta, earning a call-up late last September, and he's found a role in the bullpen to start the year. Now, he's one of the elite rookie starting pitchers in Major League Baseball, improving his record to 7-4 with Monday's victory.
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