The Atlanta Braves placed Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right elbow inflammation, triggering a quick rotation reshuffle after he exited his start against the New York Mets less than 24 hours earlier. Manager Walt Weiss said Strider w
When Spencer Strider walked off the mound after his start against the New York Mets, the timing felt ordinary. Less than 24 hours later, the Braves made it clear the issue wasn’t going away quietly. Atlanta placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right elbow inflammation.
Manager Walt Weiss said Strider is flying back to Atlanta to undergo an MRI. Weiss added that Strider described the discomfort as more in his elbow than in his shoulder. Weiss also warned that there would be more information “maybe later today or in the morning. ” before the middle game of the three-game series against the Mets.
Strider’s exit came after a sharp shift in velocity. He was pulled while issuing a six-pitch walk to MJ Melendez leading off the fourth inning. Weiss later pointed to warning signs showing up as the right-hander worked through that frame.
“The alarm bells went off when we started seeing the upper 80s with his fastball,” Weiss said following Friday night’s 7-5 loss.
In three innings, Strider allowed six hits and a season-worst seven earned runs. The damage included three home runs, one of which was a grand slam by Bo Bichette in the second inning.
This is not the first time Strider has had to fight through a long injury path. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and had the UCL in his right elbow repaired with an internal brace in April 2024. This season. he was making his eighth start for the first-place Braves after missing the first 34 games recovering from a strained left oblique. Strider is 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA.
Atlanta’s immediate response was to keep the rotation moving. Weiss said JR Ritchie, who threw five scoreless innings on Friday, will move into Strider’s rotation spot. Ritchie’s relief workload on Friday wasn’t just effective—it was rare in Braves history. Weiss said the five scoreless innings were the longest by a Braves pitcher since Cristhian Martínez threw five scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26. 2011. Ritchie has made five starts for Atlanta earlier this season, and Weiss said he’s ready.
“He’s ready to go,” Weiss said. “So we’ll just plug him in there.”
To cover Strider’s spot on the active roster, the Braves recalled right-hander Anthony Molina from triple-A Gwinnett.
The Braves also are working toward getting another key piece back. Catcher Drake Baldwin. the reigning National League Rookie of the Year. is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Gwinnett on Saturday. Weiss said Baldwin has been sidelined since May 19 with a strained right oblique. and he is on pace to return during the homestand that begins Tuesday night.
The rotation challenge now comes down to one simple question: how serious is Strider’s right elbow inflammation once the MRI is done. For the Braves, Saturday didn’t just change the schedule—it changed the next few weeks of pitching plans before more answers could arrive.
Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves injured list right elbow inflammation MRI Walt Weiss JR Ritchie Anthony Molina Drake Baldwin MJ Melendez Bo Bichette Mets