As the Atlanta Braves appear resigned to wait on Spencer Strider's return for the 2027 season, there is no way around just how much of a bust the contract has proven to be. While Max Fried was allowed to walk away in free agency, Atlanta signed Strider early on to a deal that included $75 million in guarantees and rewarded what was an undeniably hot start to a career. Strider appeared to be on the path to becoming one of the league's best pitchers and a dominating force that could stabilize the top of the rotation for years to come.
Even after the arrival of Chris Sale,the southpaw noted that it was Strider who was Atlanta's best pitcher and he was simply holding things down. This has been far from the truth as Strider has regressed and the aging left-hander has become one of the most reliable options in the league. While this was always the case, Sale has previously been plagued by injuries before stabilizing his career with the Braves.
All of this adding up to the undeniable fact that not only is Strider no longer the Braves best pitcher, there is reason to wonder if he is even among the top five options heading into next season. Strider has only offered 39.0 innings in the 2026 season and has been extremely underwhelming when he has taken the mound.
This is a season after struggling badly in his return on the heels of a season-ending injury in the 2024 season when Strider offered only 9.0 innings before missing the rest of the year.
Braves Can No Longer Ignore the Fact Spencer Strider's Contract is a Frustrating Bust
There is always hope that Strider is able to get healthy in the offseason and return closer to the player he once was. However, it has been three years since the starter could be relied on, and there have been notable velocity dips and a lack of confidence that fans can't help but continue to take note of understanding the fact this is likely who Strider is moving forward.
For the Braves, there is some solace in the fact that you have great young pitching depth. This doesn't wipe away the contract mistake or make Strider's struggles okay, but there is at least a level of understanding that the future remains bright even if the starter isn't living anywhere close to expectations.
Leading us to consider that next season the Braves are expected to have Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Reynaldo Lopez, JR Ritchie, and perhaps even Didier Fuentes competing for a rotation spot. Add in the unknown young arms that could take a leap, and Strider has gone from the expected ace to a player whose role could come into question next year.
No question, the Braves have reached a new level of frustration with Strider having very few answers as to what the future looks like. A future that is going to have be dominating from Strider to change the unavoidable fact that the contract has thus far been among Atlanta's biggest busts.
Add us as a preferred source onGoogleLoading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations