Initial reports pegged Spencer Strider’s injury to be something related to his elbow. That’s almost always a bad sign for any pitcher. Mark Bowman and Justin Toscano confirmed that Strider was complaining about said elbow. The ace will be getting an MRI tomorrow to properly assess the injury.

“Spencer Strider complained about elbow discomfort tonight. He will get an MRI tomorrow.”

“Strider’s elbow was bothering him. He’ll get a MRI tomorrow”

In a rather uncharacteristic performance from Strider, the Braves ace gave up five runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out four. Usually an accurate pitcher, Strider struggling mightily with his control all game long. His fastballs also clearly lacked the speed they usually possess. It was clear that something was not right with Strider, hence his early exit.

Thankfully, the Braves’ bullpen stepped in and rescued the day for the team. The bullpen held firm for six innings, with Pierce Johnson shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks in the tenth inning. That perfectly set up Travis D’Arnaud to walk off the game with an RBI double in extra innings. While the win feels good, the Braves are obviously going to be worried about Strider.

Spencer Strider: Atlanta’s Ace

Strider made his debut for the Braves in 2022, the season after their World Series run. Almost immediately, the right-hander made an instant impact for the team. With a wicked fastball that reached 100 mph and a brutal slider, Strider made mincemeat of his opponents. He quickly made a name for himself as a strikeout artist: ten Ks in a game became the norm for him.

Last year, Strider improved upon his Rookie of the Year-level campaign. The Braves ace maintained his velocity and his control, while using his slider and his changeup more often. Of course, his bread-and-butter was still his fastball: there’s not a lot of pitches that are better than a 98-100 mph heater, after all. He finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting.

This year, the hype around Strider centered around his new curveball. Adding a fourth pitch to his arsenal had the potential to elevate the Braves ace to new heights. He looked great in his first outing, too: eight strikeouts and just two runs allowed. Unfortunately, this injury threatens to set back Strider’s season.

Braves’ outlook without Strider

Atlanta is hoping for the best possible outcome with Strider’s injury. The best-case scenario is that this injury is just a nothing-burger, and is just general soreness. If Strider ends up missing an extended amount of time, though, the team will need to find a temporary fill-in for the star.

Max Fried, Chris Sale, Charlie Morton, and Reynaldo Lopez are a pretty good rotation, and should fill in adequately for the team. The question is… who fills that fifth spot for Atlanta? The Braves could call up one of their prospects… or they could go and try to sign a free agent as a stopgap.

It’s better for injuries like this to happen earlier in the season than later. The Braves are gunning for the World Series: an injury to their ace now gives him more time to return with less pressure. Still, Atlanta would much prefer for their star to be on the field sooner than later.