Braves Rotation Finding Ways to Thrive Without Spencer Strider

The Atlanta Braves have been doing more than just getting by without injured ace Spencer Strider.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried pitched a complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins on April 23rd, one in a dazzling set of above-average outings from Braves starters since Spencer Strider went down. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves got some bad injury news rather early this season. 

In the April 5th home opener, starter Spencer Strider wasn’t himself. Pitching in the low 90s, the righthander allowed five runs and struck out just four over four innings before exiting with elbow pain and being scheduled for an MRI the next day. That MRI would reveal that Strider was headed towards elbow surgery, a procedure that will knock him out for all of 2024 and some portion of 2025. 

The response was explosive. National media openly questioned if Atlanta’s World Series aspirations were over, with several in the fanbase asking for the team to trade valuable prospects for another starting pitcher to take Strider’s place. The Philadelphia Phillies were given the mantle of best rotation in the NL East and surged in the World Series odds, while Atlanta took a step (or multiple steps) back in various power rankings.  

It turns out the remaining starters in the rotation heard all of the noise and buckled down. 

Over the last twenty-four games, dating back to an April 12th series opener against the Miami Marlins in South Florida, Braves starters have put up a 2.86 ERA, the third-best mark in baseball. The only teams ahead of Atlanta are the Seattle Mariners (2.54) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2.67). 

Braves starters have limited their opponents to two or fewer runs nine times in the last seventeen games and several starters have stepped up their game in Strider’s absence: 

* Veteran Charlie Morton, who passed 2,000 career innings pitched last night, has given Atlanta four consecutive quality starts, allowing only five earned runs in his last 26 innings (1.73 ERA). That four-game span, which includes matchups against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers, has seen Morton hold opposing hitters to a .180 batting average against and a .540 OPS, striking out 22 while walking only six. 

* Newcomer Chris Sale, acquired via trade from the Boston Red Sox last offseason, has won his last four outings, allowing only five runs total in 25 innings pitched (1.80 ERA). Sale’s paced the Braves staff in strikeouts, punching out 32 in those 25 innings, while walking just three and holding opposing hitters to a .200 batting average against and a .527 OPS.

* Max Fried’s been one of the more impressive, rebounding from two poor starts to open his year with a complete game shutout of the Miami Marlins on April 23rd, allowing just three hits and striking out six with no walks. The only Braves pitcher to make five starts in that span, he’s put up a 2.16 ERA and held opponents to just a .159 batting average against and a .488 OPS. 

* Atlanta’s ERA leader (1.53), free agent signing Reynaldo López has shined in his return to the rotation after several seasons as a reliever in Chicago and (briefly) Los Angeles and Cleveland. The righthander has a 1.93 ERA across that same span and has struck out 25 in his 23.1 innings, allowing only five earned runs and holding opponents to a .218 batting average against. 

* Bryce Elder, called up to fill the vacated rotation spot of Spencer Strider’s once his throwing schedule lined up, stumbled in his most recent outing against the Dodgers. Allowing seven earned runs in just 3.1 innings, he’s the only Braves starter to not go at least five innings in this span. But his first two starts were golden - a 3.65 ERA in his first twelve innings. Elder’s going to be asked to go deeper into games to save the bullpen and eat some innings, something Atlanta’s going to need without Strider, who commonly pitched into the 6th and 7th innings. 

The Braves have additional starters biding their time in AAA Gwinnett, with Darius Vines, Allan Winans, and Dylan Dodd all making starts every fifth day for the Stripers and available should Atlanta need an additional arm. 

When it comes to the postseason, assuming everyone in the rotation now gets there - which isn’t a guarantee, given past injury and workload concerns - Atlanta looks to be able to role out a rotation of Max Fried, Chris Sale, Charlie Morton and Reynaldo López for their four starters. If reinforcements are needed from the minor leagues, top prospects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep look to have electric stuff and could supplement that quartet, as well. 

The Braves may still go out and add starting pitching at the deadline - there’s workload, injury, and age concerns with 3/5ths of the existing rotation and October’s a long time from now - but the current rotation is getting along just fine at the moment.