Spencer Strider seemed at one point like he might develop into the best pitcher in all of Major League Baseball.
Those days are gone, though. The Atlanta Braves don’t have Strider available to them as they compete in the 2026 postseason.
And at least some are beginning to wonder whether Strider will ever pitch for the Braves again.
Spencer Strider Trade Prediction
In a new article by Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, it’s predicted that Strider won’t play for the Braves in 2027. Instead, this prediction says that Strider will get moved this offseason in a trade.
The predicted trade would send Strider to the Baltimore Orioles.
In return, the Orioles would trade the Braves shortstop prospect Wehiwa Aloy and outfield prospect Nate George.
Miller notes that it was suggested that the Braves might’ve traded Strider to the Rangers for Jacob deGrom over the summer.
That didn’t happen, but it could point to Strider’s days being numbered.
“Baltimore could be a great fit, especially if Atlanta is willing to retain some of the (at least) $49M still due to Strider,” Miller writes. “At the moment, the Orioles’ starting rotation for 2027 looks like Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish, Brandon Young and some serious question marks. And with Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin, Andrew Kittredge and more coming off the books, they should have room in the budget to take a gamble on Strider. At any rate, they’re going to have to invest in pitching, unless they’re irrationally confident in two of Cade Povich, Trey Gibson and Luis De León making an impact in 2027. Why not Strider if they can get him?”
Of the prospects, Aloy has some serious believers. Shortstop isn’t a position the Braves have a ton of clear standouts rising toward, and Aloy could climb into an MLB contributor if he kept developing.
Why Braves Would Trade Spencer Strider
Strider simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
An injured Strider isn’t worth much to Atlanta, especially considering his contract isn’t cheap.
“When he was healthy, Strider was all sorts of special, arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns,” Miller writes. “There were also flashes of his former dominance during the 2025 season, making 11 quality starts. But he missed almost all of 2024 and most of 2026 to injuries and might never get back to what he used to be. Could the Braves revisit that attempt to get out from under the remainder of this contract? And is anyone willing to help them do so?”
It would be a sad day in Atlanta if they moved on from Strider, but the sport doesn’t wait up for those who are lagging behind.
If the Braves don’t believe Strider can be what he once was, then trading him away might be the best path to moving forward. They’d just need a suitor willing to give them a reasonable return.
Braves Predicted to Part Ways With Spencer Strider