Spencer Strider gets the ball for the Braves in Game 1 at Truist Park on Friday, May 15, with Atlanta trying to capitalize on a Red Sox slump that has them last in the AL East. Boston counters with Connelly Early as the series hinges on which Strider shows up
Spencer Strider’s next start carries more than just a normal first-game feeling—it’s a chance for the Braves to set the tone at Truist Park after a promising home stretch hosting the Cubs.. Atlanta opens its series with the Red Sox in Game 1. and the question that follows Strider onto the mound is simple: can he bring the same sharp version of himself that looked right in Los Angeles?
Strider will face Boston’s Connelly Early. a 24-year-old lefty with a résumé that has helped him earn trust early in his career.. For the Braves, the immediate goal is practical: winning the first game always makes the rest of the series easier.. And given how the Red Sox have started the season, Atlanta has every reason to push for that advantage.
Boston. sitting in last place in the AL East at 18-24. has dealt with injury and performance issues and has even “cleaned house” in its coaching staff.. In the statistical picture. the Red Sox rank 16th in MLB batting fWAR and 19th in pitching. while their fielding is the bright spot—they’re tied for the lead with the Cubs.
That kind of split can matter when a matchup turns into a battle between momentum and execution. Strider, for his part, has looked more like a difference-maker when his pitches have shape and bite, and his recent run gives Atlanta something to hang its hopes on.
After a rough go at Coors Field—coming out after looking quite good in his last couple of rehab starts—Strider rebounded in a way Braves fans can point to.. He struck out 8 batters over 6.0 scoreless innings against the Dodgers, walking only 2.. His fastball sat at 96.5 MPH, with the slider working, while his curveball and changeup were mixed in effectively.
If the Coors experience was an altitude-induced aberration, the Braves are hoping the version of Strider from last weekend is the one that shows up again. Because if it is, the Red Sox will be facing a pitcher who can control at-bats and build innings the way Atlanta needs.
Early is not an easy assignment, either. Despite the team’s struggles, Boston’s left-hander has been productive over a small sample, posting a 3.28 FIP and 3.70 xFIP over 62.0 career MLB innings. He’s generated punch with 9.87 K/9 and kept free passes under control with 3.19 BB/9.
In the minors. Early struck out nearly 12 batters per 9 innings. and while his walk rate lines up with those minor-league numbers. his style also suggests Boston has something more stable than raw talent.. He’s known as a solid ground-ball pitcher. and his six-pitch mix adds another layer to how he keeps hitters off balance.
Early throws his lively four-seamer about a third of the time. with a changeup and sinker each making up another 20% of his pitches.. The remaining mix includes a slider, sweeper, and curveball.. The scouting read on it is that everything has extension and movement. except the slider. which hasn’t looked as crisp.. Still. the overall profile points to a middle-rotation starter. and his pitch variety is the kind of tool that can frustrate a lineup that already has quirks.
Against lefties, the Braves’ lineup is “weird” right now without Ronald Acuna in the mix. The group is lefty-heavy, but it’s not a uniform situation: Drake Baldwin has been raking against lefties so far in his career, and Ozzie gets to bat right-handed—an adjustment that always matters.
For Game 1. the Braves’ offense may not need perfect timing. but it does need something specific: enough looks at the right times to make Early work through his mix.. The outcome. though. still seems tied to that opening question around Strider—because if he’s closer to the pitcher who dominated the Dodgers. Atlanta has the kind of starting advantage that can turn a good series into a quick one.
Game Time: Friday, May 15, 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan
Spencer Strider Braves Red Sox Connelly Early Truist Park AL East Game 1 MLB pitching