We might be just days away from seeing flamethrower Spencer Strider back on a big-league mound, and for Atlanta Braves fans, that’s an enormous relief. All signs point to a potential Wednesday return for the mustachioed maestro of strikeouts, and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Manager Brian Snitker played it close to the vest, giving us the old “if he feels good, he goes” routine, but you can tell by the tone—there’s a cautious optimism brewing in the Atlanta dugout.
The Braves are waiting until the last possible minute to make it official. That is probably because they know how delicate this dance is. You don’t mess around with your ace, especially one coming back from downtime.
Strider’s Rehab Starts for the Braves
Let’s talk about those rehab starts, though. Strider didn’t just look ready—he looked like he could’ve struck out the entire lineup blindfolded. Over three starts, he posted a silly 1.32 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP, and racked up 27 strikeouts in less than 14 innings.
His pitch count progression—60, 75, 90—makes it clear the Braves were building him up deliberately. And in that third outing? Thirteen K’s in 5 1/3 innings. That’s not just good—that’s dominant.
And let’s be honest here: the Braves need him. Bad. Their rotation ERA without Schwellenbach? A rough 5.80. That’s not going to cut it in the NL East, not when the Phillies are doing their usual “we’re dangerous in August” thing, and the Mets have a stacked lineup. This Atlanta rotation needs a jolt. Strider’s electric arm could be the spark that flips the script on this season.
So circle that date—Wednesday at 1:07 p.m., the Toronto Blue Jays might get a firsthand look at his big return. If Strider’s back and healthy, the Braves just might be, too.
