The Atlanta Braves defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in a spring training contest on Wednesday, earning a 5-3 victory. Spencer Strider got the start and performed well. The right-handed hurler turned in four shutout innings of two-hit baseball on the mound. Strider struck out five hitters and only allowed one walk as well.

According to Mark Bowman, Strider reached 96.5 mph with his fastball. That is strong for spring training, but another note from Bowman is what stands out. Strider drew whiffs on five out of 12 swings on his slider, according to Bowman.

Everyone knows Strider can throw hard. That's not a secret. Strider's strikeout prowess is also well known, but his slider is a weapon worth discussing nonetheless. 

The 27-year-old was one of the better pitchers in baseball during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before being limited to only two starts in 2024 due to injury. He returned in 2025, but struggled across 23 outings. Strider ultimately recorded a 4.45 ERA in his 125.1 innings of work.

Despite the down year, Strider still ranked in the 86th percentile in whiff percentage. Everyone talks about his fastball -- which he did throw 51.2 percent of the time. His slider was his second most thrown pitch, tough, going with it 35.3 percent of the time.

It was his best put away pitch, as he recorded a 28 put away percentage on the slider in 2025. It also generated a 48.3 whiff percentage. 

Strider's slider offering deserves more credit. If it can be even more reliable in 2026 than it was in 2025, the upcoming campaign may end up being a special one for him.

Of course, Strider will still need to mix in other pitches as well. His fastball is impressive, but he also throws a curveball and changeup. While he threw those pitches less than 10 percent of the time in 2025, they are proof that he is more than a two-pitch starter.

His slider is beginning to challenge his fastball for his most reliable offering on the mound, however. It could be the key to success during the '26 season.

Overall, Strider is displaying signs of a potential bounce back 2026 campaign. With starters such as Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep already battling injury concerns, the Braves will need Spencer Strider to be on top of his game without question.