NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Spencer Strider didn¡¯t match the utter dominance he had displayed in his Grapefruit League season debut on Monday. But as the Braves right-hander worked into the third inning of Sunday¡¯s 5-5 tie against the Orioles, he took another step toward his return from right elbow surgery.
¡°It¡¯s probably a good thing I didn¡¯t pitch like I did the other day,¡± Strider said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as easy.¡±
In other words, Strider actually had to pitch out of the stretch in this outing. This is something he hadn¡¯t done when he recorded five straight strikeouts and a total of six while working 2 2/3 perfect innings against the Red Sox.
This outing against a talented Orioles lineup began with three strikeouts in a scoreless first. The second inning included another strikeout, but it was sandwiched between a Tyler O¡¯Neill walk and a Ram¨®n Ur¨ªas two-run homer.
Strider ended up allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and one walk over 1 1/3 innings. Strictly sticking to the plans, he was pulled when his pitch count hit 45 with a 3-2 count against Ryan O¡¯Hearn. The O¡¯Neill walk and the slider Ur¨ªas hit might have been bothersome, but the unearned run that scored in the second came after left fielder Jurickson Profar dropped Adley Rutschman¡¯s drive to the warning track, the latter of whom later came around to score on a O¡¯Hearn single.
¡°This is a safe environment,¡± Strider said. ¡°So, these stats will die after today, fortunately.¡±
The Braves were fortunate to get Strider two starts before they broke camp Sunday and traveled to Arizona for two exhibition games against the Cubs. There were certainly signs of dominance as the energetic hurler struck out 10 of the 17 batters he faced in two games. Not bad considering he hadn¡¯t pitched since injuring his right elbow during last season¡¯s second start.
¡°We¡¯re all feeling really good,¡± Braves manager Brian Snitker said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to expect. We¡¯ve all seen him at his best and that is pretty good.¡±
There are expectations Strider will join Atlanta¡¯s rotation within the next few weeks, possibly within the first half of April. This would be in line with the expectations set around this same time last year, when an internal brace was inserted in his elbow to stabilize his damaged ulnar collateral ligament. This procedure requires nine to 12 months of recovery, instead of the 18 months pitchers often face following Tommy John surgery.
¡°A lot of it is going to depend on how he feels about things,¡± Snitker said. ¡°That¡¯s the main key. Regardless of what we¡¯re seeing, it¡¯s going to depend on how he feels about the process and how he feels mentally.¡±
Strider was a few weeks behind at the start of Spring Training, but he is feeling good about the strides he has made since he was cleared to begin making normal preseason preparations. His next start will likely mark the beginning of a Minor League rehab assignment. Triple-A Gwinnett¡¯s season begins on Friday.
¡°I feel good and I feel confident that my stuff is in a good spot,¡± Strider said. ¡°I don't feel like the game is speeding up on me right now. I just need to keep getting reps. There's really no way to simulate the stamina and prepare for going 90-plus pitches in the game other than to do it.¡±
Strider led MLB with 483 strikeouts from 2022-23. The Yankees¡¯ Gerrit Cole ranked second with 479 strikeouts, which he tallied in 91 1/3 more innings.
Once Strider is activated from the injured list, he would join Sale, Reynaldo L¨®pez and Spencer Schwellenbach in the rotation¡¯s first four spots. No. 3 prospect AJ Smith-Shawver and Grant Holmes would be the top candidates for the fifth spot.