Atlanta Brave’s right -hand spencer battles is expected to make its first start in more than a year Wednesday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays host.
The team has shared the first two races in the three-game series after Blue Jays defeated Brave 6-3 on Tuesday evening.
It will be Strider’s first major league look since April 5, 2024. He missed the rest of the season when he had surgery to repair ulnar safety bands in the right elbow with an inner brace.
He knocked out 13 in 5 1/3 rounds during a rehabilitation excursion with Triple-A Gwinnett on April 10. He allowed a run and three hits, threw 90 seats (62 strikes).
“He felt really good,” said Brave Manager Brian Snitker.
Strider had a side session on Sunday to prepare for their season debut.
He was 20-5 with a 3.86 era with 281 strikes over 186 2/3 rounds over 32 starts in 2023. He is 0-1 with a 1.35 era in a career start against Toronto, when he knocked out 12 and allowed two runs (one earned) in 6 2/3 rounds on 12, 2023.
The Rubber Match series can be a good pitching competition with the right hand Chris Bassitt (1-0, 0.98 era) scheduled to start for Toronto. He is 2-2 with a 2.92 era in four career starts against Atlanta.
Braves had three more home purchases on Tuesday, one of Austin Riley, who has three on the series. Braves has met six homers in the two games.
The difference on Tuesday is that Blue Jays had runners on the base when they met their two home runs, both in five -run fifth against Spencer Schwellenbach.
Alan Roden, who doubled and scored goals in the third, hit a two-run in the fifth for his first career major home.
“Hopefully can start him today, but when you look up he has been productive, you know,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
Anthony Santander completed the fifth round with a three-run Homer on a cutter who did not cut. It was Blue Jay’s first three-run Homer of the season and their 11th overall. High priced Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Still have not been home in 18 matches after going 0-for-2 with two walks and an RBI.
“We know that power will come sometime,” said Santander, who has its first two homers of the season in the last three matches. “Personally, I’ve felt good the last four games, hit the ball a little harder, and hopefully I can continue that rhythm.”
The support was enough for the Toronto right hand Kevin Gausman, who allowed two runs on two solo home runs over six rounds.
Toronto recalled Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday and put Nathan Lukes on the paternity list. Barger played the right field and was 0-for-4.
The loss was a disappointment for the struggling Braves, who hoped that their 8-4 victory in the opener of the series could be the beginning of a resuscitation.
They felt good with Schwellenbach and his 0.45 era that started in the second game. But 4 2/3 rounds and six runs later was his era 2.55 and Atlanta had a different loss.
“I thought his stuff was really good,” Snitker said, “but he just missed a place, and when you do it against these finds you will pay for it, and that’s just one of the things that happens. It happens the best of them.”
-Field level media
