Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider put any and all concerns to bed.
There are few pitchers in the MLB with more raw talent than the Braves ace, Spencer Strider. But recently, Strider had struggled, and this led to many doubters beginning to chalk his success up to being a fluke.
Strider had struggled over his last two starts, allowing 13 earned runs in just 9 innings. He raised his ERA by over a full run during the stretch. Was Strider finally figured out? Was his success short lived? Was he going to need to add another pitch or two to be successful? The questions flew through the minds of some baseball fans as Strider looked to end his slide.
Braves: Spencer Strider dismisses concerns by dominating Phillies
Strider took his first step in proving the doubters wrong yet again when he put on a classic performance against the Phillies on Tuesday night. He threw six innings of eight-hit, one-run baseball and struck out 9 Phillies hitters. Most importantly, Strider didn’t issue a walk and he threw 72 of his 103 pitches for strikes. This idea of pitching aggressively and offensively in a crucial part of Strider’s game.
Strider was able to attack Phillies hitters with his overpowering fastball, which peaked at 99.9 MPH according to Baseball Savant. He continued to pair that fastball with his slider for the most part, only throwing eight changeups. Strider’s fastball was the pitch that was hit the hardest, allowing an average exit velocity 15 MPH lower than his fastballs exit velocity allowed.
Don’t worry about Strider, Braves fans. He is one of the most talented players in the league and he is still figuring himself out as a player and as a pitcher. Strider is going to continue to develop, adapt, and improve, which is scary to hear for other NL East teams.
Strider made sure to dismiss the concerns about his recent struggles by picking up his 8th win of the season on Tuesday.