Weiss: Strider, Waldrep to begin ‘throwing progressions’ this week

Braves manager Walt Weiss announced a bit of injury news Monday before his team played the Mets in the first of three scheduled games at Truist Park.

The first-year skipper said that both Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Strider will begin throwing progressions this week. Strider was transferred to the 60-day injured list June 17 and Waldrep is on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Gwinnett.

“Waldrep got a good report,” Weiss said. “We told you we were kind of holding out, he was getting multiple opinions. Some good news there.”

Waldrep left a July 19 start for Gwinnett in Toledo, Ohio, after feeling discomfort in his throwing arm. Waldrep and the Braves were fearful it could be another elbow injury for the right-hander who had surgery in February on that same elbow, but Weiss said the discomfort may be stemming from the wrist.

The 24-year-old made his way back to the Braves in June when he threw two innings of relief against the Giants in San Francisco. He then made two starts, allowing three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in one and seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in the other, before being optioned back to Triple-A.

Strider left a June 12 start against the Mets in New York after pitching three innings. He was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day, and the club announced June 15 that, “Strider will be shut down for four weeks and then undergo an MRI. Provided that scan is clear, he will then begin a throwing progression.”

Nearly two months after that update, Strider will begin to throw a baseball again.

“I think there was a possibility he could have been out for the year. I just think that, and again, that’s why it’s tough to put timelines out there because things just change with players that are injured, and their progression changes from day to day. It’s never linear,” Weiss said. “He’s feeling good. The tests are positive. And so when that happens, and you get to a point where the next step is, ‘Let’s start throwing again.’ He’s felt good enough to do that.

“Now, it’s a big leap between starting a throwing progression and pitching on a major league mound in a major league game. It’s a big gap there. There’s a lot to uncover. But it’s good that at least you know he’ll start throwing again.”