The Atlanta Braves came into the three-game series on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies having lost three of their last four games. Hoping to right the ship, the Braves turned to Spencer Strider to take the hill.
After missing a month, Strider's first start off the IL was not pretty. The righty allowed four runs in 4.1 innings, striking out three and walking one. His fastball averaged just 95.0 MPH, which was the slowest game average of his career.
In his third start of the season, Braves fans anxiously waited to see which version of Strider they were going to get.
Spencer Strider has still clearly not bounced back to his old self yet
For much of the game, Spencer Strider had to battle. With his velocity sitting around 95 MPH for the entire game, number 99 struggled to get whiffs on his fastball. Even before the 26-year-old returned from the IL, velocity was a big question mark.
In the second inning, it looked like things might unravel quickly. After a leadoff walk and a strikeout, Max Kepler smoked a double to put the Phillies up 1-0. Strider then went 3-0 to Realmuto before the Phillies catcher lined out for the second out of the inning. Strider then struck out Brandon Marsh.
In the third inning, Strider once again issued a leadoff walk to start the inning, but a popout and two strikes kept the Phillies at bay. Strider got his first (and only) 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, partially due to a fantastic play by Austin Riley and Matt Olson.
Austin Riley ... WOW 🤯 pic.twitter.com/lLAQOA7yyb
— MLB (@MLB) May 27, 2025
Stider got the first two out in the bottom of the fourth inning, but then issued back-to-back walks to end his night.
The 26-year-old ended his night with seven strikeouts, four walks, one hit and one earned run. Strider's velocity sat at 95.1 MPH, which is more or less in line with his other two starts this season, but two full ticks down from where he sat in 2023. Command was the bigger issue in this start, where five players reached base without swinging the bat and caused Bryce Harper to leave the game after getting hit.
The Braves original Spencer S. didn't get whiffs Braves fans grew accustom to in 2022 and 2023, but still managed to get five of his seven Phillies strikeouts looking.
Unfortunately for Braves fans, this start against the Phillies isn't going to calm fears that Strider might not be able to get back to his ace form, but it also won't exacerbate fears that Strider is suddenly a terrible pitcher either.
The Braves righty showed flashes of what makes him so great, but there are still some red flags that make the whole start a mixed bag.