Atlanta Braves Ace Spencer Strider Reveals Hot Take About Fans at MLB Games

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball over the past few seasons, but the young right-hander still has one big thing he wants to change.

In an interview with the Instagram account MLB Fits at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Strider admitted that he doesn't want fans in the stands.

"Absolutely, there should be no fans," Strider said when asked for his hottest sports takes. "Get rid of the fans, it's too loud. It's too loud, everybody be quiet. We don't need the cheering, we know you're watching. I don't need the fans."

Strider later mellowed out his opinion by suggesting no lower bowl seating and accepting that outfield seats were fine, but he stayed firm on the idea that he doesn't want any fans near the dugouts at the very least.

Spencer Strider says he prefers no fans at sporting events like we had in 2020

(via mlb.fits / IG) pic.twitter.com/Ubnjs7Dxaa
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 27, 2023

There weren't any fans during the 2020 MLB season due to COVID-19, and the league is still recovering from that cavernous dip in attendance.

Strider, who didn't make his big league debut until 2021, would prefer that environment, despite finding plenty of success in baseball's current state.

In 2022, Strider finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting after going 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA and 0.995 WHIP. He took another step forward in 2023, earning his first career All-Star bid by going 19-5 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.073 WHIP.

Strider has made a name for himself with his gaudy strikeout numbers, as he currently has 476 through just 315.2 career innings pitched. The 24-year-old righty leads all of baseball with 274 strikeouts and 13.6 strikeouts per nine innings this season, the latter of which is the fourth-highest mark by a starter in MLB history.

The Braves have sold out nearly every home game this year, and they rank No. 4 in overall attendance on the season. Strider is the No. 1 starter for the current World Series favorite, and he will surely pitch in front of plenty of raucous crowds as Atlanta's playoff run kicks into full gear in October.

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