TORONTO (AP) — Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider will return to the mound against the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, his first big league start since an April 2024 surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The Braves activated Strider off the injured list Wednesday morning and optioned right-handed reliever Zach Thompson to Triple-A.
The Braves are off to a slow start, and the return of Strider could provide a big lift. He went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 2023, finishing with a major league-best 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings and placing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.