Atlanta Braves All-Star pitcher Spencer Strider to start season on injured list

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/strider-spencer/fysDdNUl/"]Strider[/a], 27, started last season on the IL with a hamstring strain, then finished with a career-worst 4.45 earned run average with a 7-14 record in 23 starts. The former breakout All-Star struck out 131 batters, while giving up 124 hits and 51 walks through 125.1 innings. [/p][embed guid="be827442-dc0c-4578-b483-884bda929820" url="https://x.com/mlbbowman/status/2036079198087835969?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]He missed almost the entirety of the 2024 season after undergoing UCL surgery, pitching in just two games. But his breakout year was in 2023 when Strider led the league with 20 wins, 281 strikeouts, and 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings - a time when he looked like he was becoming a star pitcher. [/p][p]He finished that season with a 3.86 ERA in 32 starts, giving up 146 hits and 58 walks in 186.2 innings. Since then, he hasn't been able to bounce back to All-Star form. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-braves/0UPxbDYA/"]Atlanta[/a] failed to make the MLB Postseason last year for the first time since 2017. Their 2026 season begins on March 27th against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kansas-city-royals/IL2QbgJ4/"]Kansas City Royals[/a][/p][embed guid="4c0ecf32-5628-4b32-8726-d71a6b31011a" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q9AX2X9r3c" social-type="youtube" /]