The Braves’ player with most to prove in spring training

The Atlanta Braves enter the 2026 season with a clear objective. Reclaim their place in National League contention and make a serious run come October. What unfolds during Braves spring training in North Port, Florida, will shape how realistic that ambition becomes, and no storyline carries more weight than Spencer Strider’s effort to return to ace form. The roster still features depth and star power, but no player faces a wider gap between past dominance and recent production. This reality makes Strider the Braves’ player with the most to prove this spring.

At his peak, Strider ranked among the most imposing pitchers in the sport. In 2023, he led Major League Baseball with 281 strikeouts and 20 wins while finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting. He attacked hitters with a 97 to 99 mph fastball that featured explosive late life and paired it with a deadly slider that generated ineffective swings in key moments. His 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings reflected more than raw velocity. It showcased precision, confidence, and relentless aggression in the zone. That version of the right-handed flamethrower elevated the Braves rotation into one of the sport’s most feared units and positioned the club as a legitimate championship favorite.

Momentum shifted in April 2024. After elbow inflammation forced him to the injured list, Dr. Keith Meister performed an internal brace procedure on April 13, ending his season. It marked Strider’s second major elbow surgery since 2019, when he underwent Tommy John surgery at Clemson. The Braves have expressed confidence in his long-term outlook, yet history shows that power pitchers often require time to regain full command and velocity after such procedures.

The 2025 season reflected that reality. Strider returned to the mound and made 23 starts, but inconsistency defined much of his campaign. He finished with a 4.45 ERA, and his strikeout rate dipped to 24.3 percent. His fastball averaged closer to 95 to 96 mph, and evaluators noted the absence of the late life that once separated him from his peers. A hamstring strain during the season further complicated his mechanics, forcing adjustments that affected both his timing and his ability to finish pitches.

Despite those challenges, Strider’s year did not end without encouragement. Over his final six starts of 2025, he posted a 2.50 ERA and demonstrated improved command and sharper sequencing. His tempo looked more natural, and his fastball showed signs of regaining its previous explosiveness. That late surge provided tangible evidence that his delivery had begun to synchronize after months of refinement. For the Braves rotation, it offered a glimpse of what could reemerge if Strider builds on that progress during spring training 2026.

The stakes extend well beyond individual redemption. Chris Sale now anchors the Braves rotation after winning the 2024 National League Cy Young Award, establishing himself as the staff’s unquestioned leader. However, Atlanta’s ambitions in a competitive National League East demand more than one frontline arm. The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets continue to challenge for division supremacy, and postseason success often hinges on elite swing-and-miss pitching. Strider’s margin for error significantly reduces when he pitches to contact. When he elevates his strikeout rate above 30 percent, he can alter the dynamic of an entire playoff series.

That expectation places a spotlight on every bullpen session and Grapefruit League appearance this February. Coaches will closely track Strider’s velocity readings, searching for consistent 97 mph outings as proof that his arm strength has fully returned. Just as critical, his strikeout percentage must climb toward the 30 percent threshold that defined his dominance from 2022 to 2023, when he struck out 37.4 percent of opposing hitters across those seasons. Durability will also weigh heavily in evaluations. The Braves need assurance that he can sustain his stuff deep into games without fatigue or mechanical breakdown.

Spring training will not deliver final answers, but it will reveal direction. The Braves do not need perfection from Strider in February. They need proof that the velocity, command, and swing-and-miss ability are trending back toward elite levels.

If that version of Strider returns, Atlanta regains the frontline force necessary to compete with the Phillies and Mets and make noise in October. The road back to National League prominence becomes much more challenging if it doesn’t. This spring is about more than preparation for Strider. It is about reestablishing the standard the Braves need to chase another championship.

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