Braves' Spencer Strider Aims to Bounce Back in 2026

The young pitcher is already working to improve his control and command issues from the previous season.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:31am

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider struggled with his command and control in the 2025 season, seeing his strikeout rate drop significantly from his previous two years. However, Strider is already working to address those issues in spring training, focusing on throwing more strikes and improving his off-speed pitches like the slider and curveball.

Why it matters

Strider is a key part of the Braves' starting rotation, and his ability to regain his dominant form will be crucial for the team to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season that saw them miss the playoffs. The Braves are hoping Strider can return to being an ace-caliber pitcher and help lead them back to the postseason.

The details

In 2025, Strider's strikeout rate dropped from over 36% in 2022-2023 down to just 24.3%, while his walk rate increased to 9.5%. This led to a drop in his fWAR from over 4 in his first two seasons to just 0.9 in 2025. However, in spring training this year, Strider has said his focus is on "trying to be in the zone" and getting his off-speed pitches like the slider and curveball working well.

  • Strider struggled through the 2025 season, his worst in the majors so far.
  • Strider is now working on improving his command and control issues in spring training ahead of the 2026 season.

The players

Spencer Strider

A 27-year-old starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves who had a down year in 2025 but is now focused on bouncing back in 2026.

Atlanta Braves

The Major League Baseball team that Strider plays for, who are hoping he can regain his dominant form to help the team return to the playoffs after missing out in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“The goal is to try to be in the zone. Everything's coming out of my hand right. Slider was really good, curveball was good. Got a strikeout with the curveball. Change-ups out of the hand were good. That was really the goal for the day – try to narrow it in, kind of set the bar in the zone.”

— Spencer Strider

What’s next

If Strider can regain his command and control in spring training, the Braves will be hoping he can return to being an ace-caliber pitcher and help lead them back to the playoffs in 2026.

The takeaway

After a disappointing 2025 season, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider is already working hard in spring training to improve his control and command issues. If he can recapture his dominant form from earlier in his career, it will be a major boost for the Braves as they look to bounce back and return to the postseason in 2026.