Rookie SP Spencer Strider sets Braves franchise record with 16 K's against Rockies
On Thursday night, Spencer Strider, the Atlanta Braves mustache-rocking rookie starter, broke a franchise record previously held by a Hall of Famer.
Strider was nearly unhittable against the Colorado Rockies, fanning 16 batters to pass legend John Smoltz (15) for the most K's in a game by a Braves pitcher.
The 23-year-old pitched arguably his best game of the season Thursday against the Rockies.
Strider went 8.0 innings, his longest outing of 2022, allowing just two hits and zero walks in a 3-0 Braves victory.
According to MLB.com's Jason Catania, Strider is the 30th pitcher in baseball history to post 16 or more strikeouts in a game without walking a single batter.
Strider is the youngest player to accomplish the feat since Mark Prior did it for the Chicago Cubs in 2003.
After the game, Strider admitted that he lost count of how many strikeouts he had after the fifth inning, but teammate Kyle Wright was there to keep track.
"I came out of the game and Kyle was telling me something about John Smoltz or whatever," Strider told reporters. "It didn't make any sense."
"It's pretty wild, the guys who've thrown in this organization, it's a long, incredible list. I'm just grateful to be here and having success."
Strider is 9-4 this season, with a 2.67 ERA over 28 games (17 starts) for the Braves.
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