MLB
Spencer Strider undergoes Tommy John surgery: How long will the Braves’ pitcher be on the injured list?
The Atlanta Braves star joins an ever-growing list of pitchers whose season has been cut short in less than a month.
There is seemingly no end to epidemic of elbow injuries affecting pitchers in the major leagues. Approximately a quarter major league pitchers have undergone UCL surgery in recent years. On Saturday, the Atlanta Braves announced that Spencer Strider underwent surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with an internal brace and will miss the reminder of the 2024 season.
There is some consolation in that surgeons did not feel that Strider’s injury was serious enough to merit Tommy John surgery. Strider underwent an internal brace procedure which can be performed when the tear is close to the bone and is generally less invasive than a traditional Tommy John. While the recovery time is also shorter, Strider will still face a while on the sidelines. The operation was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.
Strider has only made a couple of outings just the 2024 campaign - against the Phillies on 29 March and the Diamondbacks the following week. He had a 7.00 ERA with 12 strikeouts in two starts this year. In his second outing against the Diamondbacks in 5 April, he complained of pain to his right elbow and underwent an MRI scan the next day. “It was one of those nights, he came in and he was complaining about his elbow so he’s going to get an MRI in the morning and we’ll find out what’s going on,” manager Brian Snitker explained.
Strider faces several months in rehabilitation but the Braves hope to have him back for most or all of the 2025 season.
How will the Braves rotation look while Spencer Strider is out injured?
Losing Strider is a huge blow for Atlanta as the franchise relies heavily on the 25-year-old pitcher. Strider was 20-5 in 2023, leading the majors in wins and strikeouts (281) and finished fourth in Cy Young award voting with a 3.86 ERA last season.
At the end of the 2022 season, the Braves handed him a six-year contract extension for $75 million and an annual salary of $12.5 million.
Without Strider, the Braves rotation utilized by Brian Snitker has comprised Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Chris Sale and Reynaldo López. In all likelihood, the injured player’s place will be temporarily filled by Ian Anderson, who is also on his way back after Tommy John surgery and is due to return in June or July.