DETROIT — Some players prefer not to publicly express accountability for their performance, which is their choice. This doesn’t mean they’re not living in reality – not at all. They might simply want to keep their true emotions to themselves, which would be understandable.
Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider is not one of those players.
He is hard on himself, and you can see it. He holds himself to a high standard, and you know it. He criticizes himself publicly.
Well, it isn’t so much criticism.
He’s just honest.
“It wasn’t very good,” he said of Wednesday’s start in Detroit. “We won the game, that’s what matters, so credit to everybody else.”
In the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Strider allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings. He served up a career-high three home runs.
He hasn’t looked like himself. Over his past two starts, he surrendered 14 runs on 15 hits over nine innings. In his past five starts, he gave up 19 earned runs over 27 innings.
His ERA is 4.12.
Strider has alluded to fighting himself mechanically.
“Yeah, there’s a few things. I mean, I feel, in some ways, like I actually made some progress (Wednesday),” he said. “But I need the results to show it. That it’s really what matters. I don’t want to go out there and be a liability. I’m not really putting us in a position to win the game very often. Fortunately, we’ve been able to, when I’ve pitched, but certainly not because of anything I’ve done. Credit to everybody else continuing to pick me up and play well. I got to figure out how to be better.”
Recently, a couple of the homers off Strider have come on pitches right down the middle. He hasn’t located as well.
“Execution is always important, no matter how well anything’s working or how you feel,” Strider said. “I gotta figure some things out that I’m doing, to put me in a position to execute. Gotta keep working on it.”
To put the homers in perspective: Last season, Strider allowed seven of them over 131-2/3 innings. In 2023, opponents have hit 12 homers off Strider over 78-2/3 innings. He’s still striking out a lot of batters, but he’s looked mortal in a way he didn’t last season.
Strider is only 24 years old. This is his first season as a full-time member of the starting rotation. He probably has too much talent – and is far too smart – for these struggles to continue forever. But he’s going through it right now.
“This thing, it’s hard,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after Strider’s start. “You have to keep fighting. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he got a win out of it. That’s the silver lining is he pitched well enough to win.”
Strider has not pitched well over his past two starts. The Braves won both.
After giving up the three homers Wednesday, Strider actually recovered and only allowed one more run over the next three innings.
One reporter asked if he felt encouraged by the way he bounced back after a tough first couple of innings, and Strider responded, in part, in a way only he would.
“Statistically speaking, you can’t give up more than three home runs that often,” he said. “Got ‘em all out of the way early, that was good.”
Braves call on Dodd as 27th man, return him to minors
AJ Smith-Shawver was scheduled to start Wednesday. But after Tuesday’s postponement, the Braves listed a “TBA” for Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
They selected Dylan Dodd as their 27th man, and made him the Game 2 starter.
This was rather smart: Had Strider and Smith-Shawver – two rotation members – both started Wednesday, the Braves would’ve needed a starter for Sunday because no one would be on regular rest. This way, Dodd starts, and they can push everyone back a day to eliminate a future decision.
The Braves listed their starters for this weekend’s series against the Rockies in this order: Smith-Shawver (Thursday), Jared Shuster (Friday), Bryce Elder (Saturday) and Charlie Morton (Sunday).
Dodd is the 27th man, so the Braves didn’t have to officially recall him. That means they technically won’t “option” him. This is important because teams can option a player only five times per season before needing to place him on waivers to send him to the minors.
To this point, the Braves have optioned Dodd three times. It will stay at three, for now.
In Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Dodd allowed five runs over four innings. He struck out two batters and walked three. He gave up three homers.
He arrived in Detroit on Wednesday morning after finding out on Tuesday night that he would be starting.
“It’s a tough situation,” Dodd said. “Going into it, that’s not affecting me, and I felt really good going into it. Results obviously not ideal for me, but I think it’s part of my journey.”
After the doubleheader, the Braves returned Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Michael Harris has four-hit game
In Game 1, Michael Harris II tied a career high with four hits. He did it twice last season.
Harris also drove in four runs.
“It feels good when everything’s rolling and I’m actually getting something out of, I guess, what I’ve been trying to do,” Harris said. “Lately I’ve been unlucky, and I guess it’s been falling now. So just trying to keep the groove on.”
As part of his four-hit performance in that first game, Harris homered to left field. Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter almost robbed it. After the ball went out, Carpenter put his hands on his head. He thought he had it.
Harris is a only a couple weeks removed from a string of bad luck.
Carpenter probably would’ve caught that if Harris hit it a few weeks ago, huh?
“Yeah, he catches it,” Harris said jokingly.
Marcell Ozuna plays in second game
On Monday, it looked like Marcell Ozuna might have fractured his wrist. But the X-rays and additional imaging came back clean.
On Tuesday, he hit off the high-velocity machine, which was a pleasant surprise for the Braves.
On Wednesday, he played in the second game. He went 1-for-4.
