The Atlanta Braves got some bad news Friday night when Spencer Strider walked off the mound in the fourth inning of a 7-5 loss to the Mets, complaining of soreness in his right shoulder and elbow.
It wasn’t just that Strider left early. It’s how he looked before he did.
The right-hander got hammered for seven earned runs on six hits in three-plus innings, giving up three home runs including a grand slam to Bo Bichette. But what really caught everyone’s attention was his velocity dropping into the upper 80s – way down from his usual mid-to-upper 90s heat.
“It’s never good when a guy walks off the field,” Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “We’ll get the images taken and we’ll see what they say. But it doesn’t look great as we stand here right now.”
That’s the kind of honesty that makes your stomach drop if you’re a Braves fan.
The Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
What makes this particularly concerning is Strider’s recent injury history. He’s already had UCL repair with an internal brace in April 2024, then missed the first 34 games this season with a strained left oblique.
Now he’s dealing with soreness in both his shoulder and elbow. That’s not exactly the kind of news you want to hear about a guy who’s already been through Tommy John-adjacent surgery.
Weiss said the coaching staff knew something was wrong when they saw that velocity dip. When a pitcher who regularly throws 95-plus suddenly can’t crack 90, alarm bells start ringing.
Strider came into Friday’s game with a 4-2 record and a 5.31 ERA through eight starts this season. Those numbers aren’t vintage Strider, but he’s been working his way back from that oblique issue that kept him out until May.
What’s Next for Atlanta
The Braves are sitting pretty atop the National League standings, but their rotation depth gets tested if Strider misses significant time. They’ve already had to navigate his extended absence earlier this season.
All eyes are on those imaging results now. Weiss’s comments suggest the team isn’t optimistic, which is never what you want to hear after a pitcher leaves with arm trouble.
For a guy who’s been through the injury wringer already, Friday night’s exit has to be frustrating. And for a Braves team with championship aspirations, it’s the kind of development that can change everything in a hurry.
The results should tell the story soon enough. But based on what we saw Friday night and what Weiss had to say afterwards, it doesn’t sound like anyone’s expecting good news.
