Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider exited Friday night's start against the New York Mets in the fourth inning due to right arm soreness. The right-hander struggled through three innings, allowing six hits and a season-worst seven earned runs while striking out three batters. Toronto's Bo Bichette punished Strider with a second-inning grand slam as velocity concerns emerged early.

Strider's fastball velocity dropped dramatically from 92-96 mph in the first two innings to just 88-89 mph during a crucial at-bat. Manager Walt Weiss and a trainer visited the mound before Strider walked off. This marks another injury setback for a pitcher who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and missed the first 34 games this season with a strained left oblique.

JR Ritchie replaced Strider but couldn't stop the bleeding, allowing a single before Bichette's sacrifice fly capped the damage. The Braves entered the game leading their division, making any extended absence from their rotation a significant concern. Strider's injury history now compounds questions about Atlanta's pitching depth heading into the summer months.

For Atlanta, this represents more than just one bad start - it's a potential roster crisis given Strider's importance to a staff that already lost Charlie Morton to season-ending surgery.