REPORT: Braves Spencer Strider's Rehab Timetable Becoming Clearer

A recent update on the Atlanta Braves All-Star starting pitcher provided a potential timetable for his rehab assignment

Strider has an projected timetable for his return to the Braves | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider’s rehab assignment receives a status update. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the 2023 All-Star is likely to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. 

Based on Strider's current limits on his pitch count, Bowman is projecting that Strider will make three rehab starts with the Stripers before joining the Braves. 

While he’s just speculating, he thinks this could line up with Strider returning for the home series against the Minnesota Twins (April 18 to April 20). 

Strider was reportedly limited to 45 pitches on Sunday in his second Spring Training start. Even if he’s very efficient, averaging, for example, between 11 and 12 pitches per inning, that’s only enough to get through about four innings.  

Assuming he adds 10 to 15 pitches to his limit in each start, three starts in Triple-A would get him up to between 75 and 90 pitches. That’s a more realistic baseline to be at when taking the mound in a Major League game. 

Strider is finishing up his recovery from a UCL injury he suffered two starts into last season. He didn’t require Tommy John surgery, but he had a brace put into his elbow. 

He progressed enough to see live action during Spring Training. One start was, by definition, perfect. He retired all eight Boston Red Sox batters he faced and struck out six of them. His start against the Baltimore Orioles didn’t go as smoothly. He allowed three runs, two earned, one two hits and one walk while striking out four. 

For what it’s worth, Strider felt that this struggle for good for him. 

In 32 starts during his last full season, he finished with a 3.86 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and a 109 ERA+ in 186 2/3 innings. He led the National League in strikeouts with 281. This earned him an All-Star appearance, and he finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. 

Once he’s back, FanGraphs has projected that you will see Strider be one of the top arms in the rotation.  He is projected to finish with a 9-5 record, a 3.19 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 129 innings pitched, a 1.10 WHIP, a 3.2 WAR and a 3.05 FIP.