The Atlanta Braves have officially placed right-handed starting pitcher Spencer Strider on the injured list. The team announced the move with its X (formerly Twitter) account on April 7. In a corresponding move, the Braves also recalled right-handed pitcher Allan Winans.
Strider exited the team’s home opener on April 5 after 4 innings. Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters after the game that Strider complained of elbow discomfort.
He underwent an MRI on April 6.
Winans will replace Strider on Atlanta’s MLB roster. The 28-year-old started six games last season, going 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA. He also struck out 34 and posted a 1.392 WHIP in 32.1 innings.
Braves Place Spencer Strider on 15-Day IL
The Braves referring to Strider’s injury as a right elbow UCL sprain could be good news. But it doesn’t mean Strider won’t undergo Tommy John surgery.
“Strider complained of some pain in his right elbow after his last start and underwent an MRI exam on Saturday that showed damage in his UCL,” RotoBaller’s Keith Hernandez wrote. “It’s terrible news for one of the best pitchers in baseball, and the 25-year-old is potentially looking at needing Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.
“Even if Strider can avoid surgery, he’s probably going to be out for months.”
Strider allowed 5 earned runs on 7 hits in 4 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the team’s home opener. He threw 88 pitches, so it wasn’t necessarily a shorter than normal outing. But USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote on X that the right-handed pitcher’s velocity was down from where it normally is.
Strider wasn’t particularly sharp on opening day on March 29 against the Philadelphia Phillies either. But he pitched better than he did on April 5.
Against the Phillies, Strider allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks in 5 innings. He had 4 strikeouts with 3 walks versus the Diamondbacks.
Strider posted a 20-5 record with a 3.85 ERA and a league-high 281 strikeouts in 186.2 innings during 2023. He made his first All-Star team and finished fourth in NL Cy Young award voting.
After that stellar season, Strider made his first opening day start of his career in 2024.
Losing Strider for any extended length of time will be difficult for the Braves. Max Fried will have to step up to be the team’s ace.
That’s a role Fried has held previously, but he’s off to a rough beginning to the 2024 season. Fried has allowed 10 earned runs on 12 hits in just 5 innings over his first two starts of 2024.
Braves Recall Right-Handed Pitcher Allan Winans
Dealing with injuries in the starting rotation isn’t anything new for the Braves. Last season, Fried only started 14 contests because of hamstring and forearm injuries. Furthermore, Kyle Wright only made nine appearances in 2023 because of a shoulder ailment.
That allowed Winans an opportunity to make his first MLB appearance. He made his debut in a start on July 22, giving up just 2 runs in 4.1 innings. During his second appearance, he threw 7 shutout innings for his first MLB win.
But Winans was inconsistent after that. In two of his next four starts, he allowed at least six runs. He then didn’t pitch for the Braves during the playoffs.
The 28-year-old, though, has pitched well in the minor leagues. At Triple-A Gwinnett, Winans posted a 9-4 record with a 2.85 ERA last season. He lost his first Triple-A start of 2024, but he allowed only 2 runs on 6 hits in 5.2 innings.
Winans owns a career 2.83 ERA across all levels of the minor leagues in his professional career.
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