For everything that needs to go right for the Atlanta Braves in 2025, it is arguable that Spencer Strider's recovery is the most important one. The Braves seem to have a number of bats that can cover for a potential slow start from Ronald Acuna Jr., but Strider's place in the rotation is of paramount importance and his shoes are not likely to be filled by anyone else on the roster.
Over the weekend, it was revealed that Strider would make his triumphant return to the mound in spring training on Monday promptly Braves starter and reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale to remind everyone that he thinks Strider is the best pitcher on the Braves and folks shouldn't forget that.
Chris Sale on Spencer Strider: “Let’s not forget, he’s still the best pitcher on this team.”
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) March 17, 2025
Well, Strider did make his start against the Red Sox including against some of the best young prospects in baseball. If that appearance was any indication, it appears as though Sale was spot on in his assessment.
Spencer Strider absolutely dominated in his first spring training outing for the Braves
Expectations for Strider should have been low in this first appearance and understandably so. Strider is coming off a long layoff with a serious arm injury and assuming that he was going to be the same guy he was immediately would have been a big ask. However, when his first pitch was a 96 mph fastball that resulted in a quick ground ball out, most realized that we could be in store for something special.
Strider would go one to strike out the next five batters he faced including former Braves farmhand Vaughn Grissom who was sent to Boston in the Sale trade, Roman Anthony who is one of the best prospects in baseball, and Marcelo Mayer who was picked fourth overall in the draft and who is also among MLB's best prospects. Strider was efficient, his stuff looked great, and he did not look like he was missing much of a step at all. Are we sure he won't be ready for Opening Day?
Spencer Strider is BACK 🔥
— MLB (@MLB) March 17, 2025
FIVE straight strikeouts in his first #SpringTraining start of the year! pic.twitter.com/kpPtbeKoQv
In all seriousness, this outing was everything the Braves and Strider could have hoped for outside of maybe hoping to just see more of it. Atlanta was obviously going to be careful with Strider in this first appearance, but he was so good that he was done with two innings of work in only 13 minutes.
Strider ended his day in the third inning with a strikeout of Trayce Thompson who has been on a warpath this spring to give him a final line of 2.2 IP, six strikeouts, and a whole bunch of zeroes other than that. Assuming that trend holds, Strider could return to the big leagues in a hurry and, importantly, with a vengeance.