ATLANTA — Spencer Strider began to feel discomfort in his pitching elbow in spring training, but the Atlanta Braves' right-handed ace didn't realize the severity of the injury until learning he needed season-ending surgery.
Strider said he had a bone fragment develop after Tommy John surgery in 2019 that caused the ulnar collateral ligament to become unstable. Strider also said he did not have a tear that required a second Tommy John surgery and he instead had an internal brace procedure, perhaps giving him a better opportunity to recover for the start of the 2025 season.
Strider finally complained about the pain after pitching four innings in Atlanta's 6-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 5. It was his second start and came a week after he went five innings in the season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.
"You're not going to feel good when you're playing baseball every day," Strider said Friday while standing in front of his locker in his first news conference since the surgery. "So I'm not searching for that. You know, like I said, I'm going to pitch through anything if I feel like I can help the team, and I felt like I couldn't do that anymore, so I thought it's time to say something."
An MRI on April 6 revealed damage to his UCL. Dr. Keith Meister — the team physician for the Texas Rangers, who began a three-game series at Atlanta's Truist Park on Friday night — performed the procedure on April 13.
"They're theorizing that I tore some connective tissue ... and that's what destabilized the ligament," the 25-year-old Strider said. "And maybe I blew through the last of that on that game, and things deteriorated pretty quickly throughout the outing."
Strider went 20-5 last year, when he led Major League Baseball in wins and strikeouts (285) and was an MLB All-Star for the first time. He made his MLB debut in October 2021, then began the 2022 season in Atlanta's bullpen before moving into the rotation in late May.
With his right arm immobilized in a sling, Strider said he will look for ways to support his teammates as the Braves seek their seventh straight National League East Division championship. They're also hoping for a deeper run in the playoffs after winning the 2021 World Series but losing to the Phillies in an NL Division Series the past two years.
"These guys don't don't need me to win a World Series," Strider said. "So you know they're going to pursue that journey. I'll be here to cheer them on."
Still, replacing Strider will be a challenge, even though Atlanta is seeking someone to fill out the rotation on the back end rather than the top.
Right-hander Allan Winans allowed seven runs (six earned) over five innings in a 16-15 loss to the New York Mets on April 11 and was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after the game.
Right-hander Darius Vines had more success, allowing one run and four hits with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings of a 6-1 road win against the Houston Astros on Monday. Vines is scheduled to make his second start of the season on Sunday night.