"Juan Soto steps in the box knowing he's in my head" - Braves ace Spencer Strider explains thrill of facing Mets superstar

Juan Soto has terrorized pitchers in his MLB career, something acknowledged by many high-profile starters, with Atlanta Braves' Spencer Strider the latest to join the list.

On the Case De Klub podcast, hosted by two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and Tyler Casagrande, Spencer Strider was asked the names of batters who have troubled him in the past. He named Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto. As per Strider, Soto is mentally very strong and brings the competitveness to his opponents whenever he steps inside the box.

"I feel like Juan Soto's another one not that I'm unique in this he just get a lot of (that). He steps in the box knowing he's in my head, and I start throwing harder, and it's kind it's fun.

"I appreciate him as a player for what he's able to do. I think he just raises guys level of competitiveness, and, obviously, that's the competitor he is, and we saw in the playoffs, and it's a long list I could go to," Strider said. [25:56]

Strider and Soto will face off more often now that the Dominican slugger has signed with the New York Mets. Soto signed a 15-year $765 million contract with New York this offseason, which will keep him at the club till his age 41 season. As both the Mets and Braves are in the same division, they will play 13 games

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Spencer Strider affirms year-long rehab programme from injury

Spencer Strider's 2024 season was cut short after just two starts before the 26-year-old had to undergo surgery.

Because of an in-season surgery, Strider won't be ready in time for Opening Day, 2025. As per him, the Braves have a one-year rehab programme in place for their starter. Strider detailed the timeline on the podcast (27:20).

"Brace rehab is generally like nine [months]. Heading Into Spring months to a year it sounds like they've got me on essentially a year program. I had surgery shortly after opening day and so there's no reason obviously to be a 9 month recovery I don't need to facing hitters in January or anything.

"If everything stays on track then we should be coming into spring training kind of in a normal environment in a way I'll be facing hitters at the end of February and pitching in games and spring training and then hopefully shortly after the season I'm at a point where I'm effective enough and feel good and have achieved what we need to in the program to to pitch big league games."

Strider will have a lot more responsibility on his shoulders now that Max Fried has left the Braves rotation. Fried signed with the New York Yankees for an eight-year $218 million contract.

Spencer Strider's two full season in Atlanta have yield 63 starts with a 11-5 record in 2022 and 20-5 in 2023, the latter of which earned him fourth spot in the NL Cy Young rankings.