Ex-Mets GM raves about Braves' $75,000,000 ace Spencer Strider, ranking him over Cy Young winner Chris Sale

We are not that far removed from when Spencer Strider looked primed to become one of the best pitchers in baseball. The 26-year-old flamethrower for the Atlanta Braves was electric in 2023, recording an MLB-leading 281 strikeouts with a 20-5 record and a 3.86 ERA over 186.2 innings of work.

Unfortunately for Spencer Strider, his 2024 campaign was seemingly over before it really started. After only 9.0 innings of work last season, Strider suffered a catastrophic UCL injury that required a procedure and ultimately bringing his year to an early end.

All that being said, Strider is back. The All-Star pitcher made his Spring Training debut on Monday against the Boston Red Sox. After throwing 2.2 innings and recording 6 strikeouts, it's safe to say that the promising pitcher is looking as elite as ever.

This is something that former New York Mets GM Steve Phillips spoke about on MLB Network Radio. While Strider is not expected to return to the Atlanta Braves rotation until at least late April, Phillips was in awe of his Spring Training debut and wants to see him back in action sooner rather than later.

"He's working his way back and they're talking mid-to-late April. Can he pitch Opening Day please? He's ready. He looked ready to me. I know they need to build him up but he looked ready. Can you imagine when he comes back out there?" Phillips said.

Phillips also stated how Spencer Strider is the best pitcher on the Braves roster, even better than reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. It may be tough dispute Strider's upside given the success he has already shown so early in his career. This is a major reason why the Braves signed him to a six-year, $75,000,000 deal back in 2022.

"Sale was good last year but Strider is just otherworldly. When he was first breaking in, he reminded me of deGrom. He's got that level of stuff that Jacob deGrom has. It's a different level of coming out of his hand of just explosiveness," Phillips continued.

Spencer Strider's return could help the Braves become one of the best rotations in baseball

While there might be room for debate between which pitcher is better between Spencer Strider or Chris Sale, the fact that they are on the same team makes them a nightmare for any opponent. Once he is healthy and ready to return to the mound, the Braves are going to get a significant boost to their already strong rotation.

The Braves seem to be able to develop star pitchers whenever they please as Spencer Schwellenbach emerged as a potential All-Star last season. The team was also able to have Reynaldo Lopez produce the best season of his MLB career in 2024. If the team can stay healthy, they should be viewed as a true World Series contender this season.