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Spencer Strider’s rise to fantasy baseball ace territory was about as fast as they come. In his 2022 rookie season, Strider started out in the bullpen, but by the end of May, the Braves saw fit to promote him to the rotation. There were some bumps along the way, but by the season’s end, he earned his reputation as an elite strikeout artist, racking up 202 Ks in 131.2 innings.
Strider followed up by leading the majors in strikeouts in his sophomore campaign. In 2023, he recorded 281 across 186.2 IP in his 32 starts. His success over the last two years made him the unquestioned SP1 coming into 2024. So confident were fantasy managers in his potential for a repeat performance that the ace’s 7.77 ADP had him going ahead of the likes of Freddie Freeman, Juan Soto, and Shohei Ohtani.
Those who selected Strider in the first round soon found themselves regretful. The 25-year-old reported elbow discomfort during his second start and an ensuing MRI revealed damage to his UCL. Strider was placed on the injured list on April 7 and underwent an internal bracing procedure on April 12, ending his season after nine innings of work.
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Spencer Strider Injury Update for Fantasy Baseball
On April 5, Strider left his second start of the season after just four innings, having allowed seven hits, three walks, and five earned runs. Afterward, he complained that his elbow had been bothering him throughout the game.
Spencer Strider's elbow was bothering him and he will be getting an MRI tomorrow (via @mlbbowman).
He averaged 96.7 MPH with his fastball in his first start but all of his last 31 fastballs tonight were slower than that.
His last fastball was at 94.4 MPH. pic.twitter.com/6pMDoyz1TY
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 6, 2024
The Braves ordered an MRI the following day and the results confirmed everyone’s biggest fear. The imaging showed damage to his UCL, an injury that often necessitates Tommy John surgery and a recovery period of a year or more. Strider had already undergone the procedure once before, back in 2019 while pitching for Clemson University.
After a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on April 8, it was decided that Strider would instead undergo an internal brace surgery in his pitching elbow. The procedure differs from TJS in that a surgeon can repair the existing UCL by suturing it to bones in the patient’s arm, rather than grafting a tendon from elsewhere in the body to replace a ligament that is completely torn.
Spencer Strider Fantasy Baseball Outlook
The internal brace surgery usually has a shorter recovery period than TJS, which usually keeps players out for a minimum of 12-14 months. Opting for the internal brace leaves the door open for Strider to return in time for Opening Day in 2025. Since it is a relatively new development, there is not a long track record we can use to set expectations for Strider’s return.
Drew Rasmussen, who himself had two Tommy John procedures done in 2016 and 2017, needed a third surgery on his elbow in 2023. Last July, Rasmussen got the internal brace from the same doctor who performed Strider’s earlier this month. Rasmussen’s rehabilitation process may provide a better timeline for Strider’s recovery.
Recovery time's roughly half w/ internal-brace repair surgery instead of TJ surgery, but not everyone is a candidate for brace instead of TJ. It can depend on the patient and injury severity. Dr. Keith Meister did Strider's surgery and is a leader in UCL internal-brace surgery.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) April 13, 2024
In redraft leagues, Strider is a drop. Even in leagues with IL slots, there’s no use in clogging them up with a pitcher who is guaranteed to not take the mound for the rest of the year. Keeper and dynasty managers should hang on but keep tabs on Strider’s progress.
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