Atlanta Braves Scratch Spencer Strider Hours Before First Pitch Sunday: Report

The Atlanta Braves made a last-minute change to their starting rotation ahead of Sunday's series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

MLB.com's Mark Bowman reported Joey Wentz will start Sunday at Truist Park. Right-hander Spencer Strider, who was expected to pitch the series finale, will now start Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.

Bryce Elder will pitch Monday's series opener versus the Cubs.

Bowman added in his report Sunday morning the extra time Strider will receive between starts is not related to an injury.

Wentz is starting instead of Strider today. Strider will pitch against the Cubs one of these next few days. He would have already been starting today with one day of extra rest. But the Braves say this isn’t injury related
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) September 7, 2025

Despite that explanation, though, a lot of Braves fans seemed confused about the shuffle in the rotation. In another tweet, Bowman suggested the change in the rotation had more to do with Wentz and Elder than Strider.

The Braves informed us three hours before today's first pitch that Strider wasn't starting. They also said it wasn't injury-related and that Elder and Wentz could now start on regular rest. I don't know if it's something they came up with overnight. But Strider will start Tuesday https://t.co/PbPnLMRHg3
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) September 7, 2025

Strider began the season on the injured list because he was still recovering from an elbow injury he sustained in April 2024. The right-hander missed nearly the entire 2024 campaign because of UCL surgery to his throwing elbow.

Strider made his 2025 season debut on April 16. However, he then missed the next month because of a hamstring issue. Braves manager Brian Snitker described the hamstring injury as a "fluke" thing. Strider sustained the injury going through a workout after his first MLB start of the season.

The right-hander, who was an All-Star two years ago and entered 2024 as the team's ace, has returned to experience a very disappointing 2025 campaign. Strider is 5-12 with a 4.97 ERA, 1.391 WHIP and 106 strikeouts in 101.1 innings.

In 2023, Strider led the National League with a 13.5 K/9 rate. This season, he owns a 9.4 K/9 rate.

Over his last five starts, Strider is 0-4 with a 9.13 ERA. During that stretch, he has yielded eight home runs in 23.2 innings.

Based on that performance, it wouldn't be surprising if Strider is less than 100%. Additionally, because of his recent injury history, anytime the Braves give Strider extra time between starts, speculation from fans about an injury is going to arise.

But as of Sunday morning, everything is fine with Strider from a health perspective.

Wentz will take the mound Sunday with a 3-4 record and 3.99 ERA in 10 starts with the Braves this season. He has also submitted a 1.192 WHIP and 9.7 K/9 rate in 48.2 innings with Atlanta.

The Braves will be aiming to win the series versus the Mariners on Sunday. Atlanta won Friday night 4-1 but lost to the Mariners on Saturday 10-2.