The start to the 2025 season has been a nightmare for fans of the Atlanta Braves. A season that was supposed to be full of hope and redemption has quickly taken a nosedive. On Wednesday, fans will finally have something to celebrate as ace pitcher Spencer Strider returns to the mound after recovering from an UCL injury and surgery.
Strider will take the ball in a rubber match north of the border on Wednesday afternoon when the Braves cap off a three game set with the Toronto Blue Jays. Although fans should be excited for Strider’s return, they still will not get everything they want.
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Bryce Elder likely to stay in Braves rotation amid Strider return
Even with Spencer Strider’s return from the IL, Brian Snitker and the Atlanta Braves still have spots in their starting rotation that differ from Opening Day plans. Reynaldo Lopez will miss an extended amount of time due to injury. Bryce Elder was the next man up when Lopez went down but many assumed that once Strider returned, Elder would be sent back down.
The starting rotation received an unexpected shakeup when A.J. Smith-Shawver was sent down to the minor leagues and Bryce Elder stayed on the big league roster. With the depleted pool of pitchers Brian Snitker has to choose from, Bryce Elder is somehow still one of his best five options.
Of course, with Atlanta yet to win a series this season and owning an atrocious 5-12 record, there are several aspects of the team fans would like to see addressed. Getting Strider back in the rotation will be a major lift, but his return alone will not be enough to get the Braves back on track, especially if Elder, who is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in just two starts this year stays in the big leagues.