Spencer Strider Checks Off More Boxes in Latest Braves Outing

Spencer Strider continued his methodical approach to each spring training outing. Overall, the Atlanta Braves starter pitched 2 1/3 non-consecutive innings out of the bullpen, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out four.

It’s one of those times where the stat line gets overlooked because it’s a byproduct of how each pitcher is choosing to approach his start. Last week, Strider said he was focused on throwing strikes, above all else. This time around, the goal was to compete more.

He felt he was in a position to take on some tougher tasks with how he was placed into the game. These situations, while not ideal in a regular-season game, can be helpful in the ramp-up period.

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“Having clean innings every single spring outing is fun, but it kind of doesn’t help you enough,” he said Thursday afternoon. “It’s good to pitch out of the stretch, have guys on to make pitches like that.”

The fastball had some more life this time around. It was often hitting above 96 mph. However, he wasn’t happy with the movement of his pitches or the “shapes” as he referred to them. In time, that should get closer to where he wants them to be, as long as he stays on top of it.

“You got to have deliberate focus to improve it. I don’t think anything gets better on its own, necessarily.”

Strider also wanted to keep in mind that pitch selection wasn’t necessarily what it would be in the regular season. The task isn’t to pitch like it’s a regular season game. It’s to complete certain spring tasks, and that influences the approach.

Later in spring training, we’ll probably see something closer to what his approach will be once the games matter. Given that he’s trying to reinvent himself, it’s going to take time to sort it all out.

He missed much of the early going last season, first recovering from a UCL injury and then a hamstring injury. Once he got fully healthy, he was on the mound every five days without fail. However, he struggled to find consistency.

In 23 starts, he pitched to a 4.45 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings pitched. After being reliant on the power that was behind his fastball, he’s tasked with learning to pitch in a new way. He has had to learn to mix his pitches better and work on the location of his fastball in the strike zone.

"He had to kind of reinvent himself last year, a little bit," manager Walt Weiss said last week. "The secondary pitches got better. They had to last year, but it looks, to me, early on, when I've seen him throw the fastball's got that giddy up again. He's one of those guys that, even if it doesn't say 98, it's the way it plays up."

It takes time to find out if it can be done, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it took some regular-season games, too, for him to find out the new version of himself. Not everything can be figured out in the spring training environment. It can also take the heat of a real game to come and go, and then be reflected on.

For now, it’s another step forward. He’s healthy. He’s working on his craft. In time, we’ll learn where this effort brings him.

The Braves beat the Blue Jays 9-5 on Thursday in North Port, Fla. Up next is a game in Fort Myers against the Twins on Friday. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Spring training baseball will be under the lights.