Braves ace Spencer Strider hits the IL again!
Just days after making his long-awaited comeback from elbow surgery, Spencer Strider is once again on the shelf, this time with a hamstring injury that’s cast another shadow over the Atlanta Braves’ rotation.
Strider strained his right hamstring while playing catch on Monday afternoon at Truist Park, the team announced. The injury surfaced during a routine throwing session, and after notifying team staff that he wouldn’t be able to make his scheduled Tuesday start against the St. Louis Cardinals, he was placed on the 15-day injured list. The move is retroactive to April 18.
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The timing couldn’t be worse. Strider had just worked his way back from internal brace surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, which sidelined him for nearly all of 2024. He returned to the mound last Wednesday in Toronto, allowing two runs over five innings in a promising first outing. His next start was supposed to be his first at home this season, a milestone moment in his recovery that will now have to wait.
The Braves say they’ll evaluate Strider’s hamstring over the coming days, but given his recent medical history, a conservative approach seems inevitable. It’s frustrating for both Strider and Atlanta. After a dominant 2023 campaign, 20 wins, a 3.86 ERA, and a league-best 281 strikeouts, the flamethrowing righty looked poised to reclaim his role as the rotation’s anchor. But with just one start under his belt in 2024, the Braves are once again forced to patch things together.
Strider’s absence compounds a growing problem. Veteran lefty Chris Sale, who won the NL Cy Young Award last season, has stumbled out of the gate with a 6.17 ERA across five starts. Meanwhile, Reynaldo López, another All-Star from 2024, has appeared just once this season and is out until at least late August after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
In the short term, Atlanta is evaluating in-house options to fill the rotation gap. Michael Petersen, a right-handed reliever called up from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday, could be a candidate to open Tuesday’s game. The Braves also acquired right-hander Scott Blewett from the Orioles over the weekend, and he may be a dark-horse option. One pitcher who won’t be available immediately is top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver, who just pitched on Friday for Gwinnett and wouldn’t be ready again until mid-week.
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For now, the Braves are holding their breath, again, on their prized ace.
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