Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Braves announce worst-case scenario for star pitcher

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 4/13/24

The Atlanta Braves confirmed the worst possible news for pitcher Spencer Strider on Saturday.

Strider will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Friday, the team announced. Strider underwent surgery in Texas to repair his UCL.

RHP Spencer Strider yesterday underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with internal brace, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX. He will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 13, 2024

The news does not come as a total surprise, as the Braves had already announced that Strider suffered damage to his UCL. However, the team had not confirmed until now that Strider was undergoing the surgery, and may have been holding out hope that he would find a way to pitch through the issue.

The loss of Strider is massive for the Braves, a team that harbors World Series ambitions. The 25-year-old was a 20-game winner in 2023, posting a 3.86 ERA while striking out 281 batters in 186.2 innings of work. He had essentially established himself as the team’s ace.

It has been a rough start to the season for pitchers around the league, as Strider is the second ace to need the surgery within the first month of the 2024 season.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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