The Atlanta Braves confirmed the worst possible news for pitcher Spencer Strider

The Atlanta Braves acknowledged the worst-case scenario for pitcher Spencer Strider on Saturday.

Strider will miss the rest of the 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery on Friday, the team said. Strider had surgery in Texas to repair his UCL.

The news is not entirely surprising, given that the Braves had already stated that Strider had sustained UCL damage. However, the team had not revealed until today that Strider was having surgery, and they may have been hoping that he would be able to pitch through the problem.

The loss of Strider is devastating for the Braves, who had World Series dreams. The 25-year-old won 20 games in 2023, with a 3.86 ERA and 281 strikeouts in 186.2 innings. He had basically established himself as the team’s ace.

Strider is the second ace to require surgery in the first month of the 2024 season, adding to a difficult start for pitchers around the league.