Spencer Strider OUT for the remainder of the 2024 season as Phillies continue to battle the Braves for first place in NL East standings

Last week, the Braves announced that Strider underwent an MRI which revealed damage to his UCL and while the team didn’t make a definitive statement on the next step, he will be visiting Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX in the coming days. 

The doctor’s name was important because typically, when baseball players visit Meister, it’s because they will need Tommy John surgery.

On top of that, a UCL injury is a pretty strong indicator that surgery will be needed. Strider, who will likely undergo his second Tommy John Surgery, proved to be the Braves’ ace last season while posting a 20-5 record with a 3.86 ERA to go along with 281 strikeouts in 186.2 innings of work. 

Over the weekend, the Atlanta Braves announced that Spencer Strider will miss the remainder of the 2024 MLB season. Strider underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with internal brace in Texas with Dr. Keith Meister

Spencer Strider OUT for remainder of 2024 MLB season

RHP Spencer Strider yesterday underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with internal brace, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX. He will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 13, 2024

The Atlanta Braves are in serious trouble just a few weeks into the 2024 regular season. If they lose Strider to Tommy John surgery, they’ll now have to rely on Max Fried (injured last season), Charlie Morton (40 years old) and Chris Sale (injury-prone) to keep things afloat moving forward. 

In the NL East standings, the Phillies trail the Braves by one game through the first 15 games of the 2024 MLB season.

NL East Standings

The Phillies are 8-7 on the season after a walk-off win yesterday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. They’re looking to take 3-of-4 from the Buccos right now, and Trea Turner has given them an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning. 

Trea Turner Solo Home Run vs Pirates

Trea Turner owns Mitch Keller.

RING IT 🔔 #RingTheBell | #Phillies pic.twitter.com/kdFXQICW9t

— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) April 14, 2024

Bad news for Spencer Strider, obviously. He will undergo his second UCL surgery in just five years. I’m obviously not a fan of the Atlanta Braves or Spencer Strider but at the same time, no one likes to see Major League Baseball’s best young pitchers go down so early in the season.

Here’s to Strider returning in 2025. 

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