Atlanta Brave’s right-hand spencer battles showed no signs of rust in his return to Haugen Monday and knocked out six of the eight Boston strokes he met in 2 2/3 perfect rounds.
Strider said it was “fun to play” again after his glittering grapefruit League performance against Red Sox in North Port, FLA.
“It was good,” said battles. “It was like a small reward litter on the road, a good test for the work you have done.”
Strider, 26, had not hit a game since he underwent surgery on his Ulnar security bands in April last year. When he came from a 20-victory season in 2023, he did only two starts in 2024 before maintaining a seasonal elbow injury.
Struggles followed up three-pitch strikes by Vaughn Grissom and Roman Anthony in the first round by knocking out the page in the second round. He was removed after Fanning Trayce Thompson in three places for the second of the third round.
He later joked that he did not realize that there were only two outs at that time and began to inadvertently go against Atlanta Dugout.
“I haven’t struck for a while, so I forget how many outs there is in an inning,” he said. “I was not a mathematics in college either, so counting to three is a big job for me.
“I think I came a little before myself and forgot that they had to get me, and I can’t just get off. I have to have adult surveillance.”
Struggles are 32-10 with a 3.47 era in 67 career games (54 starts) since he made his Braves debut in 2021. He has knocked out 495 strokes in 329 2/3 rounds.
Runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year 2022, he made the All-Star team in 2023 and led Majors in victories (20) and strikes (281). He ended up in fourth place in 2023 NL Cy Young Award vote.
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