WASHINGTON – Spencer Strider viewed his highly anticipated return Tuesday as an “unacceptable” showing.
Strider, in his first outing since April 16, was knocked around early at Nationals Park, resulting in a 5-3 Braves loss. The righty went 4-1/3 innings, surrendering four runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one. He also hit two batters and committed a throwing error on a pick-off attempt.
“I didn’t give us a chance to win the game, really,” Strider said. “It’s got to be better. I didn’t execute. The stuff wasn’t consistent. … Not acceptable for me.”
Strider was hard on himself while speaking with reporters after the game. But the Braves’ offense disappearing after the second frame was more to blame for the loss than his outing.
After falling behind 3-0, the Braves tied it in the second frame. Strider then gave up a solo homer to Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews - a result he was especially tough on himself about - and the Braves never pulled even again.
This start doesn’t make Strider’s season, of course. And there should be some grace here given this was just his fourth start over a year’s time. This is a process, after all.
But Strider, as competitive as he is talented, resents that mentality. He isn’t just happy to be back on the mound, working to recapture form. He expects to deliver a high-level performance or, as he says, he shouldn’t be the one pitching.
“I don’t enjoy failing, and certainly not at the expense of the team,” Strider said. “We sent a pretty good guy down (Bryce Elder) that was supposed to pitch in my spot. That’s not lost on me. It’s kind of the nature of the game. I think it’s important to have that perspective that the goal is to win. That takes 26 guys. The guy who’s starting on the mound is a big component in coming out and winning every day, so if I can’t be better, I don’t need to be out there. I think everybody has that mentality at any position. I’m going to have to work to be better.
“I certainly want to play, but I take no joy in not giving us a chance. If I don’t feel like I can’t provide for the team, then I don’t take much pleasure in losing games for us.”
The Nationals struck for three runs on four hits in the first inning, with Strider also making an errant throw on a pick-off attempt (the frame ended following that play, however, when Luis Garcia was thrown out trying to take another base). He’ll hone his command as he logs more innings, though Strider notes that isn’t inevitable as “there has to be a plan.”
On that approach, Strider added: “(The work) leans heavily on technology, No. 1. I think otherwise it’s hard to have a direction. You want to make sure you’re evaluating yourself honestly. That’s something that technology helps you do. It’s not going to b.s. you. I’m pretty well aware of some things I need to improve upon from a (body) movement standpoint. Trying to use stuff to help track the progress and direct the work. Then the specific methods and drills, things like that, come as a result of the evaluation and analysis.”
The Braves gave Strider a mulligan by scoring three runs in the ensuing frame. Then Crews drew a 3-0 count and hammered an elevated fastball into the left-field seats for the lead not long after.
Strider required 23 pitches in the first inning and 57 across the first three frames. He exited after 75 pitches (46 for strikes). He induced nine swings-and-misses. His velocity averaged 95 mph and topped at 97 mph in the first inning. He said he was OK with his pitch movement. It boils down to execution and consistency; two elements that tend to improve with more repetition.
“He has to start somewhere,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We got him five ups, just like we were trying to do the last time he threw. The more he throws, the better he’s going to get. We have to start somewhere. As long as he’s healthy, does his sides and makes his next start on Sunday, it’s going to continue to get better.
“The more pitches, the sharper everything is going to get.”
While it didn’t happen Tuesday, Strider’s return is expected to help the Braves win plenty more games moving forward. They’re 24-24, though they’ve played better lately – a National League-best 18-11 in their last 29 games – and they’re 5-1/2 games behind the first-place Phillies, still well within striking distance in mid-May.
Now, they’re adding one of the sport’s most illustrious arms into their rotation. Strider was the betting favorite for the NL Cy Young award entering last season, but he made only two starts before he required surgery for a damaged right ulnar collateral ligament. He underwent an extensive rehab process that brought him to his season debut in Toronto last month, but a hamstring strain sidelined him yet again.
There was a strong buildup to Tuesday, Braves fans and the baseball world highly anticipated his comeback. Only 26, there aren’t many pitchers with more immense upside.
Strider had already accrued consecutive 200-plus strikeout seasons before 2024. In 2023, his 281 strikeouts set an Atlanta-era record (and were the most by a Braves pitcher since 1900). A season earlier, he fanned 16 Rockies in a game, breaking Hall of Famer John Smoltz’s franchise record.
That’s who the Braves are plugging into their rotation. And the 2023 NL MVP, Ronald Acuña, isn’t far from taking his spot back atop the lineup. The hope is that their returns help spearhead June surge similar to some of years past.
“I credit the guys who’ve been playing the whole time,” Strider said. “I think they had to acknowledge the way things were, where they were. Obviously, they weren’t happy with it. Credit to them for remaining confident and seeking out solutions and trying to get better.
“It takes time. It’s not like one day everything magically got better for everybody. That came from deliberate work. It’s an amazing testament to those guys and what they were able to do, where they’ve put themselves now.”
The Braves are 2-2 on this six-game road trip thus far, taking two of three in Boston before dropping the opener in Washington.
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