MLB should be fearful of Spencer Strider's new pitch

Despite only getting through two full seasons as a big leaguer and one full season as a full-time starter, Spencer Strider has already established himself as one of the game's best pitchers for the Atlanta Braves.

His 3.86 ERA might've been a bit high, but Strider led the league this past season with a 2.85 FIP, 281 strikeouts, and 13.5 K/9. He was an All-Star and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young balloting, leading an elite Braves starting rotation along the way.

What made the 25-year-old so dangerous is the fact that he was so dominant despite only really having two pitches. Strider combined to throw his four-seam fastball and his slider a combined 92.7 percent of the time, with his third pitch, a change-up, being used the other 7.3 percent of the time. He was so dominant with those two pitches to the point where he didn't even need to use the third pitch all that much.

For as good as Strider is, at times, he'd be a bit predictable with only two pitches for opposing hitters to look out for. Now, Strider appears to have a third pitch he's more comfortable with, only it's not the change-up. It's a curveball. Strider debuted the pitch in his start on Saturday and it's safe to say he had success overall, completing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts against the Rays. If that curveball sticks, watch out.

Spencer Strider gives opposing hitters another weapon to fear

Strider will always be a pitcher who relies heavily on his fastball and a slider but adding a third pitch he feels comfortable with would be huge to keep hitters off balance. It's not as good as the fastball or slider, but it also doesn't have to be. The key is to just give hitters another weapon to worry about in the back of their minds.

Strider only throwing the change-up 7.3 percent of the time last season shows how much he trusts the two pitches he dominates with, but also shows that he's not in love with that pitch. He appears to be making great strides with the curve and he said that he believes that pitch will "give me a little more room to move my fastball around".

Manager Brian Snitker seemed to think highly of the new pitch as well, saying “That’s a real curveball too, I had a hard time telling the difference between [the curve and slider] a couple times. That was kind of nice for him to be able to throw it against another team, too.”

The right-hander occasionally got himself into trouble by over-relying on his four-seamer. It's easy to do that when you throw 99 consistently, but MLB hitters can hit that kind of velocity when they expect it with ease. Adding a third elite pitch is what will get Strider's ERA to the elite number everyone expects to see next to his name, and he might've done that already with his new curveball.