Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing elbow surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with an internal brace, the team announced Saturday.
Strider went for an MRI after experiencing elbow pain following his most recent appearance. In two starts this season, he compiled a 7.00 ERA and a 2.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio. As CBS Sports explained at the time, Strider had showed reduced effectiveness and velocity:
The 25-year-old Strider had an uncharacteristic outing Friday. For starters, his fastball showed diminished velocity. He averaged 95.9 mph, more than a half tick lower than his first start (96.7) and well beneath his 97.2 mph average from 2023. Strider also had reduced effectiveness: he surrendered five runs on seven hits and three walks over the course of four innings pitched.
Strider is, of course, one of the best pitchers in the majors when healthy. In 67 career big-league appearances, including 54 starts, he's amassed a 3.47 ERA (124 ERA+) and a 4.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Strider finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting last season, all the while making his first career All-Star Game.
Our Mike Axisa explained the internal brace procedure last fall, writing the following: "A relatively new procedure -- an internal brace -- is an alternative to Tommy John surgery when the tear is located close to the bone. The internal brace procedure is much less invasive than Tommy John surgery and comes with a shorter rehab, though it still fairly lengthy."
The Braves, off to an 8-4 start this season, used Allan Winans to take Strider's most recent turn in the rotation. They optioned Winans to the minors on Friday in favor of Darius Vines.
