Braves Spoil Return of Pitcher Spencer Strider by Striking Out 19 Times in 3-1 Loss to Toronto

TORONTO (AP) — Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider wasn’t looking for a feel-good moment. He wanted a win.

Strider allowed two runs and five hits in five-plus innings in his return to the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, but the Braves lost 3-1 to fall eight games below .500 at 5-13.

“My job isn’t to come back and have a moment and all that,” Strider said. “That’s not how I look at it. I’m here to help the team.”

Making his first big league appearance in 376 days because of surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Strider struck out five, walked one and hit a batter. He threw 97 pitches, 58 for strikes.

“He’s extremely important to our club and especially to our rotation,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s good to have him back.”

Braves offense was a no-show in Strider’s return, striking out a record 19 times. The 19 K’s Toronto pitchers collected were a franchise record.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two of the five hits off Strider, including an RBI single in the third inning and a solo home run in the sixth. The homer was Guerrero’s first.

Strider got ahead 0-2 with his first two pitches of the at-bat but couldn’t finish Guerrero off with any of his next five. Guerrero homered into the second deck on a full-count slider, a 412-foot drive.

“For me, didn’t do a good job of executing with two strikes,” Strider said. “Felt like my off-speed didn’t have a lot of conviction, a lot of consistency. That makes it hard to pitch.”

Strider followed the Guerrero homer by walking Anthony Santander. Snitker responded by replacing Strider with left-hander Dylan Lee.

Strider struck out Bo Bichette on three pitches to begin the game. He threw his hardest pitch of the afternoon, a 98 mph fastball, to Guerrero in the first.

Strider struck out Myles Straw to strand runners at second and third to end the second.