Spencer Strider: Everything you need to know

Strider (oblique) struck out seven and allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks across five innings Sunday in a rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett. In what was likely the third and final start of his rehab assignment, Strider delivered another strong outing to convince Atlanta that he's ready to return from the 15-day injured list. The 27-year-old built up to 82 pitches (50 strikes) Sunday, inducing 16 whiffs while maxing out at 96.9 miles per hour with his fastball. Assuming his oblique checks out fine following his next bullpen session, Strider will tentatively line up to make his season debut with Atlanta during its upcoming weekend series in Colorado.

Strider (oblique) struck out eight and permitted one hit and one walk over 4.1 scoreless innings in his rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Gwinnett. After tossing 3.1 scoreless frames for High-A Rome during his first rehab start last Thursday, Strider moved up a couple levels for his second minor-league outing but was unfazed by the jump in competition. The right-hander pumped in 46 of his 65 pitches for strikes, topping out at 98.1 miles per hour with his fastball and inducing 15 swinging strikes, 10 of which came via his slider. Strider will look to build up to the 80-pitch mark his next time out in what will likely be his final rehab outing in the minors before Atlanta brings him back from the 15-day injured list. He tentatively lines up to make his 2026 MLB debut during Atlanta's three-game series in Colorado next weekend.

Strider (oblique) is scheduled to make the second start of his rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Gwinnett, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. He'll be making the jump to Gwinnett from High-A Rome along with rehabbing catcher Sean Murphy (hip), who was behind the plate last Thursday in Strider's first minor-league outing. Strider spotted 27 of his 50 pitches for strikes in his start with Rome, recording three punchouts while yielding one hit and two walks over 3.1 scoreless frames. The right-hander will get further stretched out further Tuesday in what's expected to be the second of three total starts in the minors before he returns from the 15-day injured list and slots back into the Atlanta rotation.