One of the biggest mysteries of the 2026 season for the Atlanta Braves is what version of Spencer Strider the franchise sees take the mound. After suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, the ace returned to the mound with decreased velocity and an alarming inconsistency. This resulted in a 7-14 record with an ERA of 4.45, exposing the obvious frustration. Now that spring training is underway, fans haven't been given any reassurance.
Braves MLB.com writer Mark Bowman noted that the radar gun was turned off when Spencer Strider was throwing BP. Bowman later clarified that "The Braves said they didn't purposely turn off the radar gun with Strider throwing his live BP today. It was a technical issue that had to do with the ABS setup." This doesn't lessen obvious concerns for Atlanta fans preparing to begin the season without Spencer Schwellenbach or Hurston Waldrep in the rotation.
Add in the continued concerns around Strider's ability, and this rotation is incredibly thin. Atlanta would be wise to begin seeking out solutions to prevent Bryce Elder from being a relied-upon piece in the Braves' rotation. Elder is coming off a terrible season and clearly doesn't deserve Major League reps, with even a bargain signing offering more potential upside than the veteran right-hander offers in the rotation.
Braves Continue to Have Reason for Alarm Around Spencer Strider's Atlanta Future
It is understandable if Braves fans are a bit skeptical that the radar just happened not to be working in a moment fans would've been paying close attention. Seeing whether Strider's velocity has returned would've been extremely telling about whether the starter has a chance to turn back the clock to the dominating presence he previously was.
Strider being at the top of his game would offer the Braves a trio of Chris Sale, Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez at the top of the rotation. This is at least enough to keep the franchise afloat until he's healthier, and would help end concerns about whether 2024's injury changed the career of what appeared to be one of the league's pitchers.
With this in mind, fans will keep a very close eye on Strider in the coming weeks. The Braves need to upgrade the bottom of the rotation, no matter which version of Strider takes the mound in 2026.
Knowing that there are still velocity concerns would only dial up the urgency to get something done before we get too deep into free agency. No question, concerns about Strider are founded and point to additions that must be made in the next few weeks of the offseason.