(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Braves have been one of the most dominant regular-season teams over the past few years.
But, when it comes to the playoffs it appears they have found their kryptonite.
It comes in the form of the Philadelphia Phillies.
For back-to-back seasons, the Braves have lost to the Phillies in the NLDS.
The Phillies won both series in four games.
One pitcher who cannot seem to defeat the Phillies is Spencer Strider.
He is the ace of the Braves staff but someone the Phillies have gotten comfortable facing in the playoffs.
According to OptaSTATS, Strider is 0-3 in three career playoff games.
All three losses have come to the Phillies, making him the third pitcher ever with three losses to the same team in his first three playoff games.
Spencer Strider is 0-3 in 3 career playoff games, all against the Phillies. He is the third pitcher to play the same opponent in each of his first 3 postseason appearances and earn the loss in all of them:
Don Newcombe, 0-3 vs. NYY (1949-55)
Bill Sherdel, 0-4 vs. NYY (1926-28) pic.twitter.com/3q8snp0tDY
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 13, 2023
While Strider did not pitch badly in this year’s NLDS, he was not good enough to get a win.
In his two starts this postseason, he had an ERA of 2.84 and struck out 15 over 12.2 innings.
Strider was the most dominant strikeout pitcher in baseball this year.
He struck out 281 batters, which was 44 more than the next pitcher.
But there seems to be something about him facing the Phillies in the playoffs that causes problems.
Strider is still a young pitcher with a bright career ahead of him, but the start to his postseason career has not been good.
You can bet every time he takes the mound in a future postseason game that his record will be brought up.
The last thing Strider wants to hear is people say he shrinks in the playoffs.
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