Atlanta Braves Likely to Have All-Star Battery at Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday

All-Star Spencer Strider will make another rehab start for the Stripers on Friday and he's likely to be joined by catcher Sean Murphy.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) is greeted by his teammates after leaving the game against the Boston Red Sox during spring training at CoolToday Park on March 17. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Fans of the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers are likely to get a treat on Friday night, as it's probable that a pair of Atlanta Braves All-Stars will be in action.

Per Braves' Insider Grant McAuley on social media:

#Braves Spencer Strider is making another rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett tonight. I'd anticipate Sean Murphy will catch as he continues his rehab assignment as well. Strider threw 60 pitches in his first start for the Stripers.

#Braves Spencer Strider is making another rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett tonight. I'd anticipate Sean Murphy will catch as he continues his rehab assignment as well. Strider threw 60 pitches in his first start for the Stripers.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) April 4, 2025

Strider missed the entire major league season in 2024 and made two appearances this spring, tossing 4.0 innings on Grapefruit League action. He's coming back from Tommy John surgery. He struck out six in his first three-inning rehab appearance.

An All-Star in 2023, Strider is 32-10 lifetime with a 3.47 ERA. One of the best strikeout artists in the game, he's fanned 495 batters in 329.2 career innings. When he comes back, he'll pair with Cy Young winner Chris Sale to make one of the top duos in baseball, but it's possible that Strider could be on an innings limit as he works back into the season.

The Braves have gotten out to an 0-7 start this year.

As for Murphy, he cracked his left rib in early March. Now 30, he is headed into the seventh year of his career with the Athletics and Braves. An All-Star in 2023, he is a career .233 hitter with 77 homers and 240 RBIs. He hit a career-high 21 homers in that 2023 season. The Braves have been utilizing rookie Drake Baldwin in Murphy's spot, so it remains to be seen how the team will handle the catching duties when he returns.

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