For the first time since early in the 2024 season, Spencer Strider will be back on the mound for the Atlanta Braves. The ace will make his return from injury in Monday's spring action in a pivotal next step.
Strider being able to return to the rotation will go a long way in easing Braves fans' concerns about an extremely quiet 2025 offseason. Aside from the signing of outfielder Jurickson Profar, the team is relying on returning players to correct their 2024 struggles.
Strider being able to return to action so soon is great news for both the rotation and bullpen. He appears on track to return to the rotation by the end of April. This gives Ian Anderson and Grant Holmes a chance to each make a case to be the final rotation piece when the ace is able to reclaim his role at the top of the Atlanta rotation.
Spencer Strider's return is much-needed good news as Opening Day looms
Strider will make his debut against the Red Sox and should be expected to be on a very tight pitch count. No matter the results, the Braves should be most concerned about Strider getting the reps and taking the next step while remaining healthy.
Until that time, it appears the aforementioned Holmes and Anderson are the most likely rotation answers. Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwellenbach are the unquestioned starters locked into their roles. The most likely path for Strider is bumping Holmes out of the rotation and back into the long reliever role.
For Atlanta, this is exactly the type of news they needed after the injury scare with Austin Riley and having already lost Sean Murphy for the first weeks of the season. It gives hope that the 2024 season was simply an outlier and the team's core will be able to stay on the field this season. Strider is officially back, giving fans all the more reason to tune in for Monday's spring training action.