Braves Bench Spencer Strider After Rough Start Sparks Concern

Those struggles were on full display Monday night at Truist Park. Strider was chased in the fourth inning of a 13–9 loss to the Chicago White Sox, giving up seven runs on 10 hits. After the outing, the right-hander sat alone in the dugout, staring toward the ground, his frustration visible.

“I can’t compete in the strike zone, and that’s it,” Strider admitted afterward. “My fastball just isn’t getting outs. It’s not a contact pitch, and it’s not moving the way I need it to move.

And so when I can’t throw it in the strike zone, hitters have the advantage. Then my slider is an effective pitch, but not if I’m behind in counts or not making guys swing. If I throw it in the zone, it’s getting crushed.”

A Career at a Crossroads For Strider

This has been the roughest patch of Strider’s career. He has failed to get through the fifth inning in three straight starts, each time surrendering at least five runs.

His ERA has ballooned to 5.24 across 17 starts, with a 4.72 FIP. Strikeouts, once his calling card, have dipped sharply—down to 10.28 K/9 from the elite levels of nearly 14 in his first two seasons. Meanwhile, his walk rate and home run rate have climbed to career-worst levels.

Perhaps most concerning is the velocity decline. The fastball that averaged 98.2 mph in 2022 is now down to 95.6. While still above league average, the loss of late life and explosiveness has left him more hittable than ever.

For Braves fans, it’s been a season defined by frustration, and Strider’s struggles have only amplified that feeling. For Strider himself, the challenge is rediscovering the form that made him one of the game’s most dominant arms just two years ago.