Former Clemson star Spencer Strider set for Braves season debut

Former Clemson baseball pitcher Spencer Strider finally appears ready to return to a big-league mound.

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said Wednesday that Strider is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. There is always some “we’ll see” built into pitching plans, especially with a player coming off an injury, but for now, the Braves are expecting one of baseball’s best strikeout arms to return.

For Clemson fans, the only real question with Strider has never been talent. It has consistently been his inability to stay healthy.

When Strider is in shape, he is one of the most electric pitchers in Major League Baseball. From 2022 to 2023, he led the majors with 483 strikeouts, turning himself into one of the faces of Atlanta’s rotation. His 2023 season was ridiculous, finishing with a 20-5 record and 281 strikeouts while earning All-Star honors.

The problem is that Strider has had to battle through injuries. He missed most of the 2024 season after elbow surgery, and his 2026 debut was delayed after he dealt with a left oblique strain during spring work in March. He recently made his final rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett, clearing the way for his return to Atlanta.

Strider’s Clemson story is still pretty wild to look back on. He played for the Tigers from 2018 to 2020, missed 2019 due to injury, and then was drafted by the Braves in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Since then, he has become one of the best examples of Clemson baseball talent translating to the highest level.

Now, the Braves get him back into a rotation that has already been strong without him. If Strider stays healthy, Atlanta’s pitching staff gets a completely different ceiling.