Atlanta Braves’ Ace Spencer Strider Dominates in Triple-A, Could Be Ready For MLB Return

Pitching for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday afternoon, Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider showed that he just might be ready to return to the big leagues for the first time in more than a year.

Strider is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in April of 2024. He made just two appearances last season. On Thursday, he struck out 13 of the 21 batters he faced, doing it all on 90 pitches.

An All-Star in 2023, Strider is 32-10 lifetime with a 3.47 ERA. One of the best strikeout artists in the game, he’s fanned 495 batters in 329.2 career innings. When he comes back, he’ll pair with Cy Young winner Chris Sale to make one of the top duos in baseball, but it’s possible that Strider could be on an innings limit as he works back into the season.

The hard-throwing right-hander helped the Braves get to the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023. He had a 2.84 ERA in two postseason starts back in 2023 as the Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Unfortunately, Atlanta has gotten out to a dreadful start in 2025, going 2-9 through 11 games. They could certainly use Strider back, but they’ll continue to do what is in his best long-term interest.

The Braves are back in action on Thursday night as they host the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. Atlanta will visit the Tampa Bay Rays for a weekend set at Steinbrenner Field.

DOMINANT FIRST APPEARANCE: Ben Hess, drafted in the first round in 2024, made his first career appearance for the New York Yankees’ High-A affiliate on Wednesday. CLICK HERE:

DEEP TALENT POOL: Baseball America recently ranked the most talented minor league teams in the game and the Rays received a high mark for the roster at Triple-A Durham. CLICK HERE:

ON THE MEND: Tobias Myers, who is a big part of the Milwaukee Brewers’ rotation, is back on a minor league assignment as he comes back from an oblique issue. CLICK HERE: