After making the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons—their longest streak since 11 straight appearances from 1995 to 2005—the Atlanta Braves haven’t gotten off to the 2025 start they were hoping for. Going into Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta had managed just eight wins in their first 21 games, placing them in last place in the NL East, trailing the Washington Nationals by half a game.
One of the few positives early in the season was the return of ace pitcher Spencer Strider, a 2023 All-Star. That year, Strider dominated the league with a 20-5 record, becoming the first MLB pitcher to hit the 20-win mark since 2019, and the first in the National League since Max Scherzer in 2016. However, his 2024 season was abruptly cut short due to UCL surgery on his right elbow after only two starts. The injury also forced him to miss all of spring training, and he didn’t make his first appearance of 2025 until April 16.
Strider’s return, after 376 days away from the mound, was promising. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk across five innings, struck out five batters (bringing his career total to 500), and clocked in with a fastball averaging 96.7 mph. Unfortunately, the Braves fell 3-1 to the Blue Jays, offering Strider little offensive support. But just a day before his second scheduled start against the Cardinals, the Braves announced that Strider was being placed back on the injured list.
Spencer StriderThis time, the issue wasn’t his surgically repaired elbow. While playing catch on Monday, Strider experienced discomfort and informed manager Brian Snitker he wouldn’t be able to pitch. He was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain, prompting the team to place him on the 15-day IL. The team didn’t clarify why they opted for the IL instead of skipping a start, but MLB.com’s Mark Bowman noted that the Braves are expected to proceed cautiously given Strider’s recent long recovery.
Strider’s setback only deepens Atlanta’s pitching woes. With him sidelined, the Braves called up 30-year-old Michael Petersen from Triple-A Gwinnett. Acquired from the Angels on April 2, Petersen had only made one prior appearance for Atlanta on April 13, where he pitched two scoreless, hitless innings against the Rays. The Braves are still assessing the severity of Strider’s hamstring issue.
The rotation has already taken a beating. Starter Reynaldo López underwent shoulder surgery after just one appearance and is out for at least 12 weeks. Meanwhile, veteran Chris Sale, who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2024, is off to a shaky start in 2025 with a 6.17 ERA through five games, a stark contrast to last season when he led the league with a 2.38 ERA, 18 wins, and 225 strikeouts.
Despite the injuries and slow start, the Braves managed to notch a 7-6 win over the Cardinals on Monday, extending their winning streak to four games and giving fans a sliver of hope amid an otherwise rocky beginning to the season.
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