Braves' Ace Strider Sidelined: Bizarre Injury During Routine Catch Sparks Concern

In the world of baseball, where pitching prowess is as celebrated as the crack of the bat, the Atlanta Braves have hit an unexpected snag: their star pitcher, Spencer Strider, has encountered a speed bump on his road to recovery. Imagine my surprise when I heard this news; like fans everywhere, I was eagerly anticipating the return of Strider following his surgery — an internal brace procedure whose intricacies could fill a medical journal — only to learn that he’d be heading back to the injured list before he could even warm up the mound properly again. This isn’t just a left hook for the Braves; it’s a straight jab to their underperforming strategy, especially after banking on Strider to be their ace in the hole. For those of you itching for every detail on this development, here’s your ticket: LEARN MORE.

Strider’s initial start against the Toronto Blue Jays was something to behold — five strikeouts in five determined innings, hurling 97 pitches like it was his holiday party. But fate, or in this case, a stray hamstring, decided to throw him a curveball before he could even face St. Louis. It was during the casual play of catch, a ritual to get the arm greased up, that Strider felt something give — a strained right hamstring — and just like that, the Braves’ fortune took a nosedive.

The Braves’ camp, for now, seems to be clinging to hope, thinking this setback won’t sideline him for the long haul. Yet, having just come back from elbow surgery, you can bet they’re playing it safer than a baserunner sliding into home plate. They’ve called up Michael Petersen from Triple-A to fill in, a young arm with a promising 2.25 ERA, but will he have Strider’s fire?

Sure, the Braves have their struggles, languishing at the bottom of the National League East with a lackluster 8-13 record. They’ve been outpitched, making their 4.58 starting ERA a bit of a punchline in the NL, and Chris Sale’s 6.17 ERA isn’t helping matters. Add in Reynaldo López’s shoulder sidelines him till July, and the Braves are dealing with more than just an empty pitcher’s mound.

Strider was meant to be the beacon, lighting the way back from their string of disappointments. Now, they’ll have to navigate the rest of the season without their ace, hoping their strong bullpen and occasional flashes of brilliance can fill the gap. But as a seasoned sports commentator, I’ll tell you — a team’s heart often gets broken when its most pivotal players are stuck on the disabled list. Only time will reveal if the Braves can mend this particular heartbreak.

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Less than a week after making his first start of the season, Spencer Strider is going back on the injured list.

The Atlanta Braves placed the right-hander on the 15-day IL with a strained right hamstring, which Strider reportedly suffered while playing catch prior to Monday’s matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals. He told the team that he wouldn’t be able to make his scheduled start for Tuesday.

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Strider was activated from the IL last week for his 2025 debut after recovering from surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow a year ago. (This was an internal brace procedure, not reconstructive Tommy John surgery, which he had in 2019 while pitching at Clemson.)

Facing the Toronto Blue Jays, Strider pitched five innings while allowing two runs and five hits with five strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches, 85 for strikes.

The Braves reportedly don’t believe that the hamstring strain will lead to a prolonged absence. But with him just returning, the team may take a cautious approach with him.

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Strider’s return was expected to provide a boost to an Atlanta team that has arguably been the most disappointing in MLB early on. At 8-13, the Braves are last in the National League East, 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading New York Mets, but just one game out of third place.

Atlanta’s starting pitching has struggled, compiling a 4.58 ERA that’s third-worst in the NL. (Overall, the staff ERA is 4.24, 10th in the league.) Chris Sale, in particular, has endured a rough start, registering a 6.17 ERA in his first five starts. The Braves also lost Reynaldo López, shut down until July after arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

To take Strider’s place on the major league roster, Atlanta called up Michael Petersen from Triple-A Gwinnett, for whom he had a 2.25 ERA in three appearances. Petersen could start for Strider on Tuesday, though Scott Blewett, just acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, is also reportedly a candidate.