Strider's elbow MRI shows inflammation; awaits Meister
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- Spencer Strider's MRI revealed inflammation in his right elbow, prompting the Braves to place him on the 15-day injured list Saturday — less than 24 hours after he left his start against the Mets. The next step hinges on Dr. Keith Meister's evaluation.
- Strider's velocity cratered from 96 mph to 88 mph on a six-pitch walk to MJ Melendez leading off the fourth inning, the trigger for his removal. He allowed a season-worst seven earned runs on six hits, including three homers — one a Bo Bichette grand slam in the second.
- Strider's injury history looms large: Tommy John surgery in 2019 and a UCL repair with an internal brace in April 2024. This season he's 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA across eight starts after missing the first 34 games with a strained left oblique.
- Braves manager Walt Weiss downplayed the inflammation finding, saying "you always expect to see inflammation when somebody's hurting," and emphasized the team wants Meister's diagnosis before determining next steps.
- Drake Baldwin, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, homered in his first rehab game for Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday and is expected back during the homestand that begins Tuesday night, having been sidelined since May 19 with a strained right oblique.
Why it matters: The first-place Braves now await a specialist's verdict on Strider's elbow — his second UCL procedure in five years (Tommy John in 2019, internal brace in April 2024). With Baldwin nearing a return, Atlanta's rotation depth becomes the immediate concern, but the Meister diagnosis will determine whether this is a 15-day absence or something far worse for a pitcher already showing mechanical decline.
