The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three years after surgery, Strider in the mix
In 2019, Spencer Strider bought a kayak and paddled around in it. He fished a lot. He even played a ton of poker. He watched a lot of baseball but couldn’t play it.
As he recovered from Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the entire season, he found other ways to occupy himself. The long process taught him a lot, physically and mentally.
“Wasn’t even on the field at all, didn’t go between the lines, so there was a lot of moments where I was just trying to control what I could control,” Strider said. “Some days, watching the game was the most intense thing that I did. I didn’t get to do anything else. Learned how to have a purpose behind everything, and I think that’s been the biggest piece of my development, is just how to attribute purpose to everything.”
How do you attribute purpose to everything? Well, here’s an example.
“If riding the bike for 20 minutes is the most intense thing I get to do in a day, then I pretend that that’s my game,” Strider said. “That’s my fifth day in the rotation and I’m going to ride the hell out of that bike for 20 minutes. Look forward to that all day and just try to have something that’s as big as baseball, even though I couldn’t play it.”
Three years after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Strider is in camp with the Braves, throwing gas, making hitters look foolish with his off-speed pitches if they sit on his fastball. The righty is coming off a season in which he went from Low-a to the majors.
The Braves play 14 games in 14 days before their first off day in the regular season, so they’re leaning toward using a six-man rotation. Strider is in the mix for that sixth spot with Kyle Muller and Tucker Davidson.
Strider on Monday potentially strengthened his case with 2⅓ scoreless innings as he started a game the Braves won, 5-4 over Toronto.
He struck out two and walked two. He lit up the radar gun and hit 100 mph multiple times. (He threw a 101 mph fastball in Triple-a last year).
“He’s got a big arm,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Strider throws gas, but his offspeed pitches are just as important. His change-up — which he rebuilt this offseason — and his breaking ball were on display Monday.
“Guys are so geared for my fastball, so if I can just be around the zone with some of my off-speed pitches, especially early in the count, now guys are having to guess a little bit more,” Strider said. “The fastball, it’s going to play better. And I’m going to get a lot of ugly swings on my off-speed pitches, even if they’re not close to the zone.”
Reliever Jackson deals with forearm tightness
The Braves are currently without one of their top relievers. Right-hander Luke Jackson is dealing with right forearm tightness, Snitker said, and is day-to-day.
Snitker said Jackson, who hasn’t yet pitched in a spring game, began feeling the tightness about a week ago. “That kind of puts him a little behind right now, so we just have to wait and see where we’re at with him next week,” Snitker said. Jackson has not received an MRI.
Jackson, who posted a 1.98 ERA over 63⅔ innings in 2021, is an important part of Atlanta’s bullpen. Luckily, the Braves have a deep group that includes Kenley Jansen, Will Smith, Tyler Matzek, Collin Mchugh and A.J. Minter.
The Braves have remained relatively healthy in camp. Ronald Acuña Jr. should return in early May. Charlie Morton looks like he’ll be ready for his first turn through the rotation. Kirby Yates and Mike Soroka entered camp injured and are expected back in the second half of the season.
Dickerson not playing GM
Asked about his chances of making the team, Alex Dickerson said he doesn’t have any pull in that decision, so he doesn’t think too hard about it.
“You try to play GM in spring training,” he said, “you’ll drive yourself nuts.”
Dickerson, who could be a backup outfielder and designated hitter, is a left-handed bat. The Braves could use another for balance off the bench, so he’s receiving a good opportunity to make the team. Dickerson is 1-for-9 with five walks this spring.
Braves get day off
The Braves have been working daily since reporting to camp March 13. Today marks their first team-wide off day in the schedule.
Snitker said they’re treating it as a true off day. They won’t hold an official workout. This worked perfectly, Snitker said, because the Braves wouldn’t have had a starter for a Tuesday game due to last Thursday’s rainout.
“Kind of ready for (an off day) now,” he said. “Been going long enough, I think, that it’ll be a good day for all of them to have it off.”
More from victory over the Blue Jays
Ozzie Albies and William Contreras homered in the same inning. ... Will Smith and Kenley Jansen each pitched a scoreless inning. ... Tyler Matzek didn’t make it out of his inning. He recorded two outs but was charged with three runs.