(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The NL Cy Young award might be a pipe dream for Atlanta Braves righty Spencer Strider at this point.
In these awards, run prevention matters a lot and his 3.73 season ERA pales in comparison to Justin Steele, Blake Snell, Zac Gallen, Kodai Senga, and other candidates.
Too bad more voters don’t pay much attention to Fielding Independent Pitching, or FIP, as Strider has a beautiful 2.83 mark.
Still, while he probably won’t win the Cy Young, it’s fair to say there isn’t a more dominant pitcher than him when it comes to strikeouts.
He is a consistent force of missing bats, leading the league with 259 punchouts.
According to Baseball Reference, his bat-missing prowess has put him in exclusive company.
“Spencer Strider has thrown 8+ strikeouts in a game 23 times this season. In the last 20 years, only two pitchers—Gerrit Cole (2019) and Chris Sale (2017)—have had more such games in a season,” they tweeted.
Spencer Strider has thrown 8+ strikeouts in a game 23 times this season.
In the last 20 years, only two pitchers—Gerrit Cole (2019) and Chris Sale (2017)—have had more such games in a season.#MLB | #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/cd3fknJGHo
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) September 15, 2023
23 of Strider’s 29 outings this year have resulted in at least eight strikeouts.
That’s insane, and compares favorably with two strikeout kings of our generation.
2019 Cole was majestic, striking out 326 hitters.
He probably deserved the Cy Young award in the American League that year, but his then-teammate Justin Verlander ended up taking it.
Then, we have 2017 Sale, who was also fantastic with 308 strikeouts.
Strider has seen his name next to those two aces with his 2023 achievements, which isn’t too shabby.
Once his ERA comes closer to his FIP, which is a very real possibility as soon as next year, Strider will probably win multiple Cy Young awards.
He is a very big part of the Braves’ present and future.
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