When is Spencer Strider Coming Back? Fantasy Baseball Injury Return Update

Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider was the top fantasy pitcher selected in drafts this offseason. Strider was coming off the board in the first round in most drafts, given his high strikeout numbers. Last year, the right-hander struck out a league-leading 281 batters behind a solid 3.86 ERA.

That helped him finish as the top fantasy pitcher in 2023, and the only thing stopping him from repeating in that department this year was an injury. Unfortunately, Strider has suffered a significant injury after he felt some elbow pain in his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

So, how serious is Strider's injury? When is he coming back? Let's dive in and find out.

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Spencer Strider Injury Update for Fantasy Baseball

Strider reported no problems in his first start on Opening Day against the Philadelphia Phillies, where he struck out eight batters across five innings. The flame-throwing right-hander was then set to take on the Chicago White on Wednesday, April 3, but a postponement due to rain pushed back his start to Friday against the Diamondbacks.

That Friday start is when Strider felt constant elbow pain throughout his outing. He gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks to go with four strikeouts across four innings. It was obvious the 25-year-old was off in that start because his pitching metrics across the board were all down, including velocity and spin.

Strider eventually confirmed after the game that his elbow was bothering him from the start. As a result, he was set for an MRI the following morning, which revealed damage to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. Now, Strider will meet with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister to discuss the next course of action.

BREAKING: MRI reveals UCL damage for #Braves ace Spencer Strider

READ MORE: https://t.co/efqyJumNOV pic.twitter.com/XZLcFpIvym

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) April 6, 2024

Spencer Strider Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Strider's elbow injury is tough news for anyone who spent a first or second-round pick on the Braves ace. While there hasn't been an official announcement on the right-hander's timeline, there's a strong chance his 2024 campaign could be over. Fantasy managers won't officially know, though, until the 25-year-old meets with Meister.

If you own Strider in fantasy, the best thing to do is place him in one of your injured list spots right now. Atlanta hasn't officially announced how long he will miss, so don't drop him just yet. However, if he does wind up undergoing Tommy John surgery, that would officially end his season.

Braves ace Spencer Strider #MLB

Right elbow injury

He is has damage to his Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) per @jonmorosi

He is going to get evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister, who is an expert in elbow injuries, especially performing the internal brace surgery.

My suspicious… pic.twitter.com/gBV6tfmMZt

— Jesse Morse, MD (@DrJesseMorse) April 6, 2024

There is some concern that Strider could get Tommy John surgery after there was some damage to his UCL. If that's the path the right-hander goes down, that would be the second Tommy John surgery of his career -- his first coming back in 2019 at Clemson when he was a sophomore.

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