The Atlanta Braves dealt with a tremendous amount of injuries in 2024. Ronald Acuña Jr, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley were just some players who missed significant time. In the rotation, ace Spencer Strider only pitched in two games for the Braves before suffering an elbow injury. He will return to the mound in a Braves spring training game and the whole organization hopes he has the luck of the Irish on his side.

“When the Braves face Boston Monday on St. Paddy’s Day, all eyes will be on ATL’s Spencer Strider, who’ll start his first game in 11 1/2 months,” The Athletic’s Dave O’Brein reported. “A damaged UCL in his pitching elbow limited the 2023 MLB strikeouts and wins leader to 2 starts in 2024 before internal-brace surgery.”

The game against the Red Sox is at the Braves’ facility in Venice, Florida. It will be Strider’s first start since April 5, a brutal start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His season ended shortly after that, with eyes on the 2025 campaign.

But late in the 2024 season, it looked like Strider would not be ready for Opening Day. While this start does not mean he will be ready for the first series, it is a step in the right direction.

The Braves need a healthy Spencer Strider for 2025

Last year when Strider went out, the spotlight was placed on Max Fried. He was solid, but it was veteran Chris Sale who rose up and stole center stage, winning his first career Cy Young. Now Fried is gone, signing a record deal with the Yankees, and Sale and Strider must both shine.

Strider had a phenomenal 2023 season that set the expectations high. He led all of baseball with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts, finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting. With that level of play from Strider, the Braves should have one of the top rotations in the NL.

The other star the Braves lost early last season was Ronald Acuña Jr. He tore his ACL last May and has been working back. This is his second ACL tear, the first coming in 2021. Expectations should be tempered for this season, as he did not have his MVP season until two years after the knee injury last time.

The Braves are in an improving division with a big new addition. The Mets added Juan Soto, who could change the power structure of the NL East. But Strider returning would help Atlanta contend for the division title.