Former Clemson Pitcher Spencer Strider to Make First Career Start for Braves
Since the season began, questions swirled surrounding what role Spencer Strider was going to play for the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves in 2022.
As it's turned out, that's been whatever the team needed from the former Clemson Tigers pitcher, and on Monday, they'll be asking the reliever to finally make the first career start in his Major League career.
The right-hander has been outstanding coming out of the bullpen, producing a 2.22 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched this season. He went into Sunday tied for the second-most strikeouts by a National League reliever.
The rookie will take the mound first when the Braves visit the Arizona Diamondbacks at 8:10 p.m. on Memorial Day. He'll face Arizona's Zac Gallen.
Strider has impressed his teammates and coaches with his high-velocity pitches that have produced a 38.9% strikeout rate in his 11 outings. He regularly hits 100 mph on the radar gun and hasn't allowed in his last four appearances.
Now, he'll finally be asked to perform as a starting pitcher, something he did in two seasons at Clemson, where he posted a 4.71 ERA.
Strider was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft after his third year in the program. He had Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2019 and was on his way to getting back to his old form when COVID-19 ended the 2020 season in mid-March.
Strider quickly rose up the Braves farm system in 2021 and made his Big League debut last September. He was not on the playoff roster during the team's championship run, but he's been an important piece to this season's squad.
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