Atlanta Braves ace pitcher Spencer Strider took another big step on Friday, throwing a 30-pitch live batting practice session at the Braves spring training facility.

Per the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

In a test of his surgically repaired elbow, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider was impressive in a 30-pitch live batting practice session at CoolToday Park on Friday.

It was believed to be his second such workout this spring in his return from April 2024 surgery to repair a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right (pitching) elbow.

Strider underwent the surgery last season and is expected to be back in the Braves rotation by late-April or early May if all goes well. This would seem to indicate that things are continuing to go well.

He will not pitch in Grapefruit League games, so he will undoubtedly need a minor league rehab assignment at the outset of the season.

An All-Star in 2023, Strider is 32-10 lifetime with a 3.47 ERA. One of the best strikeout artists in the game, he’s fanned 495 batters in 329.2 innings. When he comes back, he’ll pair with National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale to make one of the top duos in baseball, but Strider could be on an innings limit as he works back into the season.

The hard-throwing right-hander helped the Braves get to the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023. He had a 2.84 ERA in two postseason starts back in 2023 as the Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Braves advanced to the playoffs again last season, but were beaten by the San Diego Padres in the wild card round.

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