Braves declare Spencer Strider to start on opening day.
The Atlanta Braves have confirmed that Spencer Strider will start the opening day lineup this afternoon. On Thursday, April 28, Strider will face off against fellow right-handed phenom Zack Wheeler inside the inhospitable grounds of Citizens Bank Park.
For games two and three of the series, the Braves have not yet disclosed their plans for the starting rotation. However, it seems likely that Max Fried and either Chris Sale or Charlie Morton will take the mound. Fried would be scheduled to start the home opener in Atlanta on Friday, April 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks if he starts the second game of the series on Saturday.
Strider is well worth the opening day selection. The 25-year-old sensation is coming off a 2023 year in which he tossed 186 innings and struck out a league-high 281 batters. The focus will be entirely on Strider’s new curveball, which he has been using a lot this spring to diversify his pitches and improve upon the player who has a lifetime 3.37 ERA and 2.48 FIP throughout his first two seasons.