Braves Ace Strider Leaves Game Early with Elbow Discomfort: Another Injury for Baseball Teams in 2021

The Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider was forced to leave Friday’s start against the Arizona Diamondbacks early after complaining about discomfort in his right elbow. Strider, who led MLB in wins and strikeouts last season, struggled during the game and only lasted four innings before exiting. Braves manager Brian Snitker revealed that Strider had been uncomfortable with how his elbow felt during the game.

During Friday’s game, Strider allowed five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks. It was the eighth time in 54 starts that he only pitched four innings and the sixth time he did not record at least five strikeouts in a start. Additionally, his velocity was noticeably down before he left the game, in contrast to his previous start on Opening Day where he struck out eight Phillies in five innings.

An extended absence by Strider would be a significant loss for the Braves, who are currently leading the NL East with a 4-2 record to start the season. Last season, Strider posted a 20-5 record with 281 strikeouts and finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting. However, several pitchers have already landed on the injured list this season, including big names like Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Sonny Gray, and Justin Verlander. Additionally, Shane Bieber, Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, and Lucas Giolito are all set to miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery.