Strider's Early Exit
Braves Pitcher Spencer Strider Exits Mets Start Early Due to Right Arm Soreness, Velocity Drop
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Key Points
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After falling behind on velocity, Atlanta’s manager Walt Weiss and a trainer visited Strider before he walked off the mound following a short consultation.
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The Mets’ damage extended immediately after Strider’s exit: JR Ritchie allowed a single to Luis Torrens before Bo Bichette’s sacrifice fly scored Melendez.
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Gun-to-gun pitch details show how quickly his repertoire slowed: Atlanta’s report said Strider was lifted after 68 pitches, having thrown an 82 mph slider in the first inning, then hitting a three-fastball sequence in the fourth at 89, 90 and 88 mph.
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Atlanta’s velocity drop was stark even within the game’s early frames: one report noted he averaged over 95 mph in the first inning while throwing three fastballs below 90 mph to the final batter before leaving.
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Despite the team acknowledging right-arm soreness, it was unclear what the underlying issue was at the time of his removal; one report said it remains unknown what exactly the 27-year-old is dealing with and that the club should clarify soon.
Spencer Strider left Friday's start against the New York Mets in the fourth inning with right arm soreness, throwing fastballs as slow as 88 mph after averaging 95.8 mph in the first inning — a 9-mph drop that forced Atlanta's training staff to pull him after just 68 pitches, according to MLB.com. He surrendered seven earned runs on six hits across three innings, including three home runs and a grand slam by Bo Bichette.
The exit raised immediate alarm given Strider's history. The 27-year-old previously had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and a second UCL procedure in 2024, and he had already missed the first 34 games of 2026 with a left oblique strain. The Braves announced right arm soreness but offered no further diagnosis, with the team expected to provide more clarity after evaluation, per Sports Illustrated.
A 9-MPH Velocity Crash in Four Innings
Strider opened strong. He averaged 95.8 mph on his four-seam fastball in the first inning and touched 97 mph on one sequence, according to TSN. He allowed back-to-back home runs but held his velocity. Then came the collapse. By the fourth inning, his three fastballs to DH MJ Melendez were clocked at 89, 90, and 88 mph. The 88-mph pitch ended in a walk — and ended Strider's night.
Manager Walt Weiss and a trainer visited the mound immediately after the walk. Strider handed Weiss the ball after a brief conversation and walked off. The drop from 97 mph to 88 mph in the span of three innings is the kind of in-game signal that teams treat as a red flag, especially for a pitcher with Strider's elbow history, per Sports Illustrated.
Bo Bichette's Grand Slam Headlines Mets' Big Night
The Mets did their damage early. Bichette hit a grand slam in the second inning, his second home run of the night, pushing New York's lead to 6-0. It brought his 2026 home run total to five, according to Head Topics. Three separate Mets hitters went deep against Strider before he was pulled, turning what could have been a tough outing into a rout.
After Strider's exit, rookie reliever JR Ritchie took over. It did not go smoothly. Ritchie immediately gave up a single to Luis Torrens, and Bichette followed with a sacrifice fly to score Melendez — the same runner Strider had walked to end his outing. The Mets kept adding to a lead that was already out of reach.
A Fragile Arm With a Long Paper Trail
Strider's elbow has been a recurring concern throughout his career. He had his first Tommy John surgery at Clemson in 2019. Then, after just two starts in the 2024 MLB season, he underwent a second procedure — an InternalBrace repair performed by Dr. Keith Meister. An InternalBrace is an alternative to a full second Tommy John that uses a synthetic ligament to stabilize the elbow. He returned in 2025 but missed a month with a right hamstring strain, per TSN.
He entered 2026 already behind. A left oblique strain in spring training kept him out for the first 34 games. He made eight starts before Friday, posting a 5.31 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 39 innings. His current average fastball velocity of 94–95 mph is already below his pre-surgery peak of 98+ mph. Medical experts have noted that the long-term durability of the InternalBrace in high-velocity pitchers is still being studied, according to Sports Illustrated.
Braves Face Rotation Decisions With Playoff Hopes Intact
Atlanta entered Friday sitting at 45-23 and leading the NL East by eight games. But losing Strider — their ace — to a potential 60-day injury list stint would shake the rotation. JR Ritchie, a 22-year-old recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on June 10, is now in line for a larger role, per MLB.com. The Braves could also be pushed to seek a starting pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline.
Financially, the stakes are high. Strider is owed roughly $55 million through 2028 on a six-year extension. A third major elbow procedure would put the entire investment in question. The Braves said they would assess Strider's condition and provide more clarity soon. For now, what exactly the right arm soreness signals remains unknown, according to Head Topics.
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