Braves Provide Positive Update on Strider Early in Spring Training

The Atlanta Braves provided another positive update on starting pitcher Spencer Strider. According to Jon Morosi, he threw a side session on Tuesday as part of his rehab progression.

"The ball's coming out really good," Brian Snitker said on MLB Network Wednesday morning.

Strider has been recovering from a UCL injury in April 2024. After two starts, he was out for the remainder of the season.

He didn’t have Tommy John surgery, but recovery from this type of significant injury is always going to take time. However, he’s closer to a return than in the alternate scenario.

Reports like these reinforce the expectation that Strider will be ready earlier in the season. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has been able to make offseason decisions based on Strider’s return because his progression has come along so well so quickly.

To reiterate though, while he is progressing and going to have a normal Spring Training, he is not going to be on the Opening Day roster. The Braves are going to pace Strider as much as they can.

FanGraphs projects that Strider will finish the 2025 season with a 3.19 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 158 strikeouts in 119 innings pitched.

In his most recent healthy season, Strider made 30 starts, finishing 20-5, with a 3.86 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, 113 ERA+ and 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings pitched. This effort earned him his first and currently only All-Star appearance and a fourth-place finish in Cy Young voting.

MLB Network listed the current Braves starting rotation options, including a healthy Strider as the following:

Chris Sale (2024 Cy Young Winner, All-Star)
Reynaldo Lopez (2024 All-Star)
Spencer Schwellenbach
Spencer Strider (2023 All-Star)
Ian Anderson
Gran Holmes
AJ Smith-Shawver (No. 2 Prospect, 2024)
Hurston Waldrep (No. 3 Prospect, 2024)
Bryce Elder (2023 All-Star)

Each one of these arms, besides Anderson, made at least one start for the Braves in 2024 to varying success.