Braves Announce Starting Pitcher for Grapefruit League Opener on Saturday

The Atlanta Braves are finally back in game action, but does this hint at a change for Opening Day?

The Atlanta Braves announced today which veterans would be traveling to nearby Charlotte Sports Park for the team's Grapefruit League opener versus the Tampa Bay Rays. 

And there's a question about if this means anything for Opening Day. 

Manager Brian Snitker announced that Spencer Strider will start the team's first Grapefruit League game on Saturday. Strider, 25, set a Braves single season record with his league-leading 281 strikeouts in 2023, pitching a career-high 186.2 innings. Strider passed 1996 John Smoltz for the team's single season strikeout record.

But a notable difference between Smoltz and Strider is on Opening Day - Smoltz got the ball on Opening Day four different times, in 1991, 1997, 2005, & 2007. 

Strider, despite his dominance, has never gotten the Opening Day start, with Atlanta giving the ball to Max Fried for three straight years, from 2021-2023. 

Given manager Brian Snitker's deference to veterans - don't forget, Marcell Ozuna and Travis d'Arnaud were both Opening Day starters last year, with Ozuna in left field and d'Arnaud at designated hitter - it's entirely possible that Strider getting the start for the first game of spring training was nothing more than how the throwing schedule lined up. Strider threw live batting practice on Monday, which lined him up for Saturday on regular rest. Until said otherwise, it's logical to assume that Max Fried is the preferred option for an Opening Day starter. 

Some veterans making the trip

Only a few major leaguers will be making the short 12.5 mile bus ride to Port Charlotte, with Michael Harris II and Jarred Kelenic some of the major leaguers slated to appear on Saturday. 

11-year veteran Marcell Ozuna will be on the trip, as well, but is slated to play first base versus the outfield or designated hitter. Ozuna's been working at first base in pregame drills and even manned the position during squad games last year prior to the NLDS, but has yet to appear in an actual sanctioned game, spring training or regular season, at the position. 

It's needed versatility for a Braves roster that both doesn't have a ton of bench depth to speak of at this point in spring training and doesn't have the requisite playing time needed to attract major leaguers into signing for a backup role. 

Atlanta's spring training matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for 1:05 PM ET. There is no available television broadcast for the matchp, but the entire spring training schedule is being covered by the Atlanta Braves Radio Network. 

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