Spencer Strider doesn’t hold back on how he feels about his opponents

Atlanta Braves pitcher, Spencer Strider has created some insane expectations from fans, after the start he’s had to begin his major league career. After two less-than-stellar starts from Strider, Braves fans began to wonder if something was wrong with their mustached ace. That’s how good he has been. The guy can’t have back-to-back rough outings without fans wondering if the sky was falling.

But it turns out, the sky wasn’t falling. In fact, Spencer was just fine. Last night he bounced back to go six innings of one-run baseball, with nine strikeouts in the Braves' 4-2 win over the rival Phillies. Even more encouraging was the fact that Strider’s velocity was back up, and his command was much improved over his last two outings.

Each and every time out it feels like Spencer breaks another record that has stood since Tungsten Arm O’Doyle from the early 1900s. His latest start was no exception, as he became only the second pitcher since 1901 to reach 300 strikeouts in his first 35 starts.

Mic Drop Quote

After the game reporters flooded to Strider to try and get a sense as to why he pitched better than his previous couple of starts. During the questions, Strider was asked if there was any extra motivation pitching in Philadelphia after how last season's NLDS went. His response was cooler than the other side of the pillow.

"“No, I want to beat everybody. I dislike every opponent equally. No offense to them, but that’s kind of how you got to play the game in my opinion. If you’re not wearing my jersey then we’re fighting for food.”"

Spencer Strider

Truly, a perfect quote if you are an Atlanta Braves fan. But it also captures so much about what makes Strider great. He expects so much of himself and wants to dominate every single time he takes the mound. A couple of bad starts and some outside noise isn’t going to affect this guy.

Strider is one of the most talented pitchers in the league. Additionally, he may well be one of the most intelligent pitchers in baseball. If you ever have the privilege to listen to him talk about baseball, prop up a seat and soak it all in.