In 2022 and 2023, former Clemson Tiger ace Spencer Strider’s fastball was baseball’s cheat code for the Atlanta Braves. Averaging 98 mph with elite ride, it seemed to defy gravity. He struck out nearly 14 batters per nine innings, blowing hitters away. But in 2025, that pitch is no longer the weapon it was. His fastball now sits around 95.5 mph, with a drop in induced vertical break from 18.4 inches to just 16.3.
That subtle difference? It’s the difference between a whiff and a line drive.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Strider’s ERA has ballooned to 4.97. His WHIP sits at 1.39. He’s failed to pitch into the sixth inning in three straight starts. And perhaps most telling: hitters are slugging against his fastball at the highest rate of his career.
The Road Back
The fix isn’t just velocity. Strider has admitted his mechanics are out of sync, his body movement inconsistent. He’s gone to labs like Maven to re-learn how to “move in an optimal way.” If he can sync his lower half with his arm path again, the late life might return. Until then, he’s a different pitcher — one searching for answers.