Get notified by email when this case is updated.
Written by: E. George
Published April 23, 2025 @ 4:30 PM ET
COBB COUNTY, Ga. – The Atlanta Braves have placed starting pitcher Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list following a hamstring strain sustained while playing catch. The setback comes only days after his return from a lengthy absence due to elbow surgery, further compounding challenges for the Braves’ starting rotation.
The injured list designation was made retroactive to Friday, shortly after Strider’s season debut in Toronto, where he allowed two runs over five innings. That outing marked his first appearance since early April of the previous season. He had been scheduled to start Tuesday’s game at Truist Park against the St. Louis Cardinals.
With Strider unavailable, the Braves plan to employ a bullpen game strategy against St. Louis, with pitching decisions expected to be made closer to game time. This shift leaves the team scrambling for stability as they deal with mounting injuries in their rotation.
Strider, a key figure in Atlanta’s pitching staff, had undergone UCL internal brace surgery on April 12, 2024, after making just two starts earlier in the season. His performance in 2023 had made him one of the most dominant arms in the league, finishing with a 20-5 record, a 3.86 ERA, and a National League-leading 281 strikeouts, earning him a fourth-place finish in Cy Young voting.
In a corresponding roster move, right-hander Michael Petersen was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett. Petersen, who has limited major league experience, previously delivered two scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 13 and will now be expected to contribute amid the team’s rotation uncertainty.
Further complicating matters, Atlanta is also without right-hander Reynaldo López, who underwent arthroscopic surgery earlier in April after making just one start. He is not expected to return for at least three months, further thinning the club’s pitching options as the season progresses.
As injuries continue to test Atlanta’s depth and resolve, the team will need to rely on a patchwork approach to maintain competitiveness in a tightly contested National League East.